氮化硅是由硅元素和氮元素构成的化合物。在氮气气氛下，将单质硅的粉末加热到1300-1400°C之间，硅粉末样品的重量随着硅单质与氮气的反应递增。在没有铁催化剂的情况下，约7个小时后硅粉样品的重量不再增加，此时反应完成生成Si₃N₄。除了Si₃N₄外，还有其他几种硅的氮化物（根据氮化程度和硅的氧化态所确定的相对应化学式）也已被文献所报道。比如气态的一氮化二硅（Si₂N）、一氮化硅（SiN）和三氮化二硅（Si₂N₃)。这些化合物的高温合成方法取决于不同的反应条件（比如反应时间、温度、起始原料包括反应物和反应容器的材料）以及纯化的方法。

Silicon nitride is a chemical compound of the elements silicon and nitrogen, with the formula Si
3N
4. It is a white, high-melting-point solid that is relatively chemically inert, being attacked by dilute HF and hot H
2SO
4. It is very hard (8.5 on the mohs scale). It is the most thermodynamically stable of the silicon nitrides. Hence, Si
3N
4 is the most commercially important of the silicon nitrides and is generally understood as what is being referred to where the term "silicon nitride" is used.