The invention relates to kinetically stable halogenated polysilanes as a mixture of compounds having respectively at least four silicon atoms which are bound together, the substituents thereof comprising chlorine, and chlorine and hydrogen, and in the composition thereof, the atomic ratio of substituent to silicon is at least 1:1, wherein a) said kinetically stable halogenated polysilanes have a kinetically high stability in relation to oxidative splitting by chlorine, and the degree of conversion at temperatures of 120 °C within 10 hours with an excess of chlorine gas at 1013 hPa does not exceed 30 mol %, and b) said kinetically stable halogenated polysilanes have a percentage of branching points in the polysilane molecules of more than 8 mol%, in particular more than 11 mol%. Said kinetically stable halogenated polysilanes offer novel uses compared to less stable conventional halogenated polysilanes.