硅是星云气体的重要组成元素，含量仅比碳、氮和氧稍低，预示着含硅分子可能广泛存在于星际空间中。虽然目前高灵敏度大型射电天文望远镜已经能够从星际空间中探测到丰富的光谱信号，但分子的确认还需实验室光谱数据，这些信息的缺失很大程度制约了更多含硅分子的星际探测。本项目拟利用本团队自研制的脉冲喷射-傅里叶变换微波光谱仪（工作频段2-20 GHz），选择已经探测到的星际有机小分子与硅源分子作为前体，在线制备出潜在的含硅星际分子，特别是在地球环境（分子密度高）不能稳定存在的，以实现这些分子的转动光谱研究，并根据相关理论模型确定该分子在星际空间环境中的特征谱线，建立面向全世界开放的光谱数据库。本项目也将利用上海天文台65米天马射电望远镜（观测频段1-50 GHz）多个分子源进行高灵敏度积分观测。根据实验室转动光谱研究得到的光谱数据，从探测到的分子信号中筛选辨识，确认星际空间中是否存在相应的含硅分子。

Silicon in the interstellar gas is only slightly more depleted than C, N and O, which means there could be rich silicon-bearing molecules in the interstellar medium. The astronomical searches for silicon-bearing molecules help us to understand the questions such as the revolution of interstellar gas and stars, the origin of life. Although now the radio telescopes can easily collect plenty lines from the interstellar medium, the lack of spectroscopic data from laboratory prevents the final identifications of the silicon-bearing molecules. In this project, the potential astronomical silicon-bearing molecules , which are usually unstable on earth (with high molecular density) will be produced on line in the laboratory. With pulse jet-Fourier transform microwave spectroscopic technique (2-20 GHz), their high resolution rotational spectra will be investigated. This project will also use the 65-m Tianma radiotelescope (1-50 GHz) to conduct high-sensitive observations of sources in which strong emits of SiO (shock tracers) detected in the post-main sequence stars and star-forming regions. According to the spectroscopic data obtained from laboratory rotational spectroscopy, the molecular signals detected were screened and identified to confirm the existence of silicon-containing molecules in the interstellar medium.