A climate-neutral alternative to nitrogen trifluoride

Highly toxic fluorine gas (F2, diatomic fluorine) is a climate-neutral alternative to nitrogen trifluoride in certain manufacturing applications. It requires stricter handling and safety precautions, especially to protect manufacturing personnel. [17]

Nitrogen trifluoride is also used in hydrogen fluoride and deuterium fluoride lasers, which are types of chemical lasers. It is also preferred over fluorine due to its easier handling characteristics

Nitrogen trifluoride is primarily used to remove silicon and silicon compounds during the manufacture of semiconductor devices such as LCD displays, certain thin-film solar cells, and other microelectronics. In these applications NF3 is initially decomposed in the plasma. The generated fluorine radicals are active agents that attack polysilicon, silicon nitride, and silicon oxide. They can also be used to remove tungsten silicide, tungsten and certain other metals. In addition to its use as an etchant in device fabrication, NF3 is also widely used for cleaning PECVD chambers.

3 Easier to dissociate in low-voltage discharges than perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF). The resulting more negatively charged radicals can result in higher silicon removal and provide Other process advantages such as less carryover contamination and lower net charge stress on the device being fabricated. As a more thoroughly consuming etchant and cleaner, NF3 is also promoted as an environmentally friendly alternative to SF6 or PFCs such as hexafluoroethane.

#nitrogen trifluoride formula

Alex May

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