Heterogeneous Decomposition of Silane in a Fixed Bed Reactor

Heterogeneous decomposition of silane in a fluidized bed offers an attractive route for the low‐cost production of silicon for photovoltaic application. To obtain design data for a fluid bed silane pyrolysis reactor, deposition experiments were conducted in a small‐scale fixed bed apparatus. Data on the decomposition mode, plating rate, and deposition morphology were obtained in the temperature range 600°–900°C. Conditions favorable for heterogeneous decomposition with good deposition morphology were identified. The kinetic rate data showed the reaction to be first order with an activation energy of 38.8 kcal/mol, which agrees well with work done by others. The results are promising for the development of an economically attractive fluid bed process.