Talk:Silicon burning process
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According to my reference, "Cauldrons in the cosmos" by Rolfs and Rodney, page 432, direct silicon burning (fusion of Si to Si) does not occur in stars. Before the temperature required to provide sufficient penetration of the Coulomb barrier for Si to fuse to Si is reached, photodisintegration of Si begins. Thus, iron and the iron peak elements are formed by the disintegration of Si by high energy photons. This process provides the needed alpha paticles, protons and neutrons which can fuse with Si (and other nuclei) to make the stable iron peak elements.