A silicon production process which improves the production efficiency of trichlorosilane
while an industrially advantageous output is ensured and the amount of the by-produced
tetrachlorosilane is suppressed. This process does not require a bulky reduction
apparatus for the by-produced tetrachlorosilane, can construct a closed system,
which is a self-supporting silicon production process, can easily control the amount
of the by-produced tetrachlorosilane and therefore can adjust the amount of tetrachlorosilane
to be supplied to a tetrachlorosilane treating system when the tetrachlorosilane
treating system is used.
This process comprises a silicon deposition step for forming silicon by reacting
trichlorosilane with hydrogen at a temperature of 1,300 C. or higher, a trichlorosilane
forming step for forming trichlorosilane by contacting the exhausted gas in the
above silicon deposition step to raw material silicon to react hydrogen chloride
contained in the exhausted gas with silicon, and a trichlorosilane first recycling
step for separating trichlorosilane from the exhausted gas in the trichlorosilane
forming step and recycling it to the silicon deposition step.