Layered Structures Favor Superconductivity in Compressed Solid SiH$_{4}$

The electronic and lattice dynamical properties of compressed solid SiH4 have been calculated in the pressure range up to 300 GPa with density functional theory. We find that structures having a layered network with eight-fold SiH8 coordination favor metallization and superconductivity. SiH4 in these layered structures is predicted to have superconducting transition temperatures ranging from 20 to 80 K, thus presenting new possibilities for exploring high temperature superconductivity in this hydrogen-rich system.