Gas-phase thermal decomposition of germane,
GeH4, has been studied using a flash pyrolysis techni
que (
20μs reaction time), coupled with a vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) photoionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (
TOFMS). Pyrolysis temperatures ranged from 685 to 1500 K, and resulted in the formation of
GeH2 above 900 K and
GeHx (x=0,1,3) above 1100 K. In addition,
Gen (
n