Reaction of atomic fluorine with silicon: The gas phase products

Abstract

SiF2 and SiF4 have been identified as gas phase products of the reaction between atomic fluorine and silicon. Atomic fluorine is supplied by a low density molecular beam hitting a silicon target in a high vacuum. Reaction products were detected by mass spectrometric measurements. Activation energies for the production of SiF2 and SiF4 were found to be 0.09±0.02 and 0.15±0.02 eV/°K, respectively, in good agreement with the values measured by flowing afterglow techniques. The reaction probability for the reaction 4F+Si→SiF4 was found to be 0.016 at 100 °C.