Dow Corning Corporation, one of the world leaders in silicon-based technology, has announced several billion dollars of investment to provide critical materials to the fast-growing solar technology industry.

The company will begin manufacturing high purity monosilane, a key specialty gas used to manufacture thin-film solar cells and liquid crystal displays (LCDs). This investment includes construction of a new monosilane manufacturing facility in Hemlock, Michigan, USA, adjacent to Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation’s polysilicon manufacturing site.

Construction of both the polysilicon expansions and the new monosilane site will begin immediately.