While I do not have all of the detail of the explosion it sounds as if it's possibly from polysiloxane byproducts, which are known to be unstable, including pyrophoric and explosive. These products have a history in the semiconductor industry. Anyone using silane should look at the safety procedures followed by the semiconductor industry. The Semiconductor Safety Handbook gives a clue.
Publisher Summary
Some materials used in semiconductor operations are highly toxic. Dopant gases such as arsine and phosphine can kill at low concentrations. Corrosives such as hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid and hydrogen peroxide can cause serious damage to eyes and skin. Often they are used in high concentrations at elevated temperatures to increase their efficacy, further aggravating the danger to the worker. By-product materials that must be removed from tooling and fixtures can be carcinogenic, like arsenic. Other products of reaction can be caught in cold traps and cause explosions. The breadth and complexity of the chemistry underlying semiconductor operations merits careful examination and effective worker training. The proper use of engineering controls, personal protective equipment, and knowledge of correct use procedures are imperative in the high-tech, high-energy world of semiconductors.
Reinhard Sidor, ScD
GE Corp. R&D-retired
