Spectroscopic Investigations of Some Halide Reactions in Plasma-Generating Devices

Abstract

The behaviors of some halides of carbon (CF4, CCl4, CF3Cl, and Teflon), silicon (SiF4 and SiCl4), and boron (BF3) in plasma reactors have been investigated by emission spectroscopy. The emission spectra from these compounds have been identified and arise from excited diatomic molecules SiF, SiO, BO, C2, and CN and excited atoms of Si, B, and C. On the basis of the observed spectra and energetic and thermodynamic arguments, it is concluded that dissociation, excitation, and/or ionization processes requiring 25–30 eV are predominant in the plasma reactors under the experimental conditions of these studies.