In an attempt to meet the increasing demand for high-purity silane gas
in the PV and related industries, the Linde Group and Schmid Silicon
Pilot Production have decided to collaborate on silane production via
the joint ownership of a new facility in Dresden, Germany. The silane
produced at this facility will contribute towards the current capacity
for Linde’s customers and will be based on the new Schmid Monosilane
Technology process.
The plant, which is currently under construction in Schwarze Pumpe
near Dresden, will be owned and operated by Schmid for a capacity of up
to 540 tonnes per year, while Linde will then take over ownership and
operation for production of an initial capacity of 300 tonnes.
“Demand
for high purity silane gas for electronics industry applications is
growing rapidly, especially for the new Thin Film Photovoltaic (PV)
market,” said Graham Hodgson, Director of Linde’s Silane Program. “As
the leading global gas supplier to this PV market, Linde has embarked
on an ambitious program of investments to ensure that the needs of our
customers are fully met. We believe Schmid fully understands PV
customer needs, and this collaboration will significantly ease the
supply of silane.”
By Síle Mc Mahon