Fluorinated gases are gases that contain the element fluorine, and these gases are widely used in industry, especially in semiconductor manufacturing, refrigeration, and chemicals. Fluorinated gases are characterized by special chemical and physical properties, such as high chemical stability, corrosion resistance and excellent electrical insulation properties.

In the entire semiconductor industry's production process, from the chip growth to the final device packaging, almost every link is inseparable from the electronic special gas. These gases are typically of high purity and stability to ensure their reliability and precision in the manufacturing process.

Common Fluorinated Gases

Fluorinated gases are high-purity gases containing the element fluorine that are used in the electronics industry, and they have a wide range of applications in semiconductor manufacturing, photovoltaics, display panels and other fields.

The following are some common fluorinated gases：

（1）Carbon tetrafluoride(CF4):Widely used as a plasma etching gas in the microelectronics industry.

（2）Hexafluoroethane(C2F6):Used as a plasma etching gas and device surface cleaner.

（3）Nitrogen trifluoride(NF3):Mainly used for cleaning chemical vapor deposition (CVD) units.

（4）Sulfur hexafluoride(SF6):Excellent insulation performance and arc reduction capability, applied to transmission, distribution, and control equipment in power equipment.

（5）Tungsten hexafluoride(WF6):As a raw material for the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process of tungsten metal.

（6）Perfluoropropane(C3F8):Used as a plasma etching material in the semiconductor industry.

（7）Octafluorocyclobutane(C4F8):Excellent etch selectivity and precision.

（8）Chlorine trifluoride(ClF3):Used for etching and cleaning in the semiconductor industry.

（9）Difluoromethane(CH2F2):Used as a refrigerant and solvent.

These Fluorinated gases are mainly used in the semiconductor manufacturing process to make cleaning agents, etching agents, and can also be used to make dopants, film-forming materials and so on.

What are the common uses of fluorinated gases in semiconductor manufacturing?

Fluorinated gases play a key role in the semiconductor manufacturing process and are widely used in several critical process steps. These gases are mainly used in silicon wafer manufacturing, lithography, etching, ion implantation, and so on.

(1)Silicon wafer manufacturing

At the silicon wafer manufacturing stage, fluorinated gases such as hexafluoroethane (C2F6) can be used as plasma etching gases for the fine processing of silicon, silicon nitride, phosphor silicon and other materials.

(2)Lithography

Fluorinated gases may be used for photoresist stripping or cleaning during the photolithography process to help remove residues after exposure and ensure accurate pattern transfer.

（3）Etching

Etching is a core step in semiconductor fabrication where fluorinated gases are used as etching agents to achieve highly accurate and selective material removal.For example, hexafluoroethane enables high-precision fine line etching of integrated circuits with high etching efficiency.

（4）Ion implantation

During the ion implantation process, fluorinated gases may be used as carrier gases to help inject dopant ions into silicon wafers, thereby altering their electrical properties.The use of fluorinated gases is critical to the performance and reliability of semiconductor devices, and they are indispensable materials for modern microelectronic manufacturing.As semiconductor technology continues to advance, so do the purity and performance requirements for these gases.

What are the unique chemical and physical properties of fluorinated gases compared to common gases?

Fluorinated gases are a group of gases containing the element fluorine, which differ significantly from ordinary gases in their chemical and physical properties. The following are some of the unique characteristics of fluorinated gases compared to common gases.

（1）High chemical activity:Fluorine-containing special gases exhibit extremely high chemical activity due to the high electronegativity and small radius of the fluorine atom. They are able to form strong bonds with other elements and react even at room temperature.

（2）Strongly oxidizing:Many fluorinated gases are highly oxidizing and can promote or sustain redox reactions under specific conditions.For example, fluorine gas (F2) is one of the strongest oxidizing agents, capable of oxidizing most elements.

（3）Low molecular weight & high density:Fluorinated gases usually have low molecular weights, but because of their strong intermolecular forces, they tend to be much denser than ordinary gases, and some are even heavier than air.

（4）Excellent thermal stability:Many fluorinated gases remain stable at high temperatures and do not readily decompose, which makes them suitable for high-temperature treatments and processes.

（5）Special physical states:Fluorinated gases are usually colorless and odorless gases under standard conditions, but some may form liquids or solids under certain conditions.

（6）High solubility:Some fluorinated gases are more soluble in water and can react with water molecules to form different compounds.

（7）Toxicity and corrosivity:Some fluorinated gases are toxic to living organisms and can cause irritation or damage to the skin, eyes and respiratory system. In addition, they may be corrosive and can erode certain materials.

（8）Environmental impact:Fluorinated gases are relatively long-lived in the atmosphere and have a destructive effect on the ozone layer, with potential implications for global climate change.

These properties have led to a wide range of applications for fluorinated gases in high-tech fields such as semiconductor manufacturing, the photovoltaic industry, display manufacturing, laser manufacturing, etc., while at the same time posing safety and environmental challenges.