Monosilane and disilane: 1984 status report

This report contains information on the improvements in the quality of monosilane and disilane now commercially available. Suppliers' analyses are tabulated along with capacity data. Suppliers currently have a higher purity grade of silane than previously, which yields a deposited silicon film with a resistivity of more than 1000 ohm-cm. Prices and grades are listed for the silane gases available in the United States and Japan. The silent electric discharge method of preparing disilane from silane is reviewed, with references. Properties and stability data for disilane are given. Handling and shipping of the silane gases are discussed, along with data on health hazards. Analytical procedures for determining impurities in silanes are listed; sensitivities are generally only to the 1 ppM level. Analyses for boron, phosphorus, arsenic, and antimony in silane would be useful for photovoltaic work at the parts-per-trillion level: suggestions are given for possible techniques that might be developed to achieve this.