SiF4

Silicon tetrafluoride · Tetrafluorosilane

Silicon tetrafluoride is a stable, insulating gas used extensively as a precursor in the production of silicon-based electronic materials.

Crystal structure of SiF4
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About Silicon tetrafluoride

Silicon tetrafluoride is a thermodynamically stable inorganic compound characterized by its wide-band-gap insulating electronic nature. It plays a critical role in industrial chemistry due to its unique reactivity and volatility, serving as a key precursor in the synthesis of silicon-based thin films and materials.

As a vital component within the broader landscape of silicon-containing materials, this compound is essential for precision etching and deposition techniques. Its stability and chemical properties make it a preferred choice for specialized applications where controlled silicon delivery is required.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for Silicon tetrafluoride, aggregated across 3 databases.

Band Gap

7.72 eV
Range across DFT structures

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

On hull (stable)
2 DFT sources

Structures

44
3 databases, 14 space groups
Uses

Applications

Where Silicon tetrafluoride is used.

Semiconductor etchingChemical vapor depositionSynthesis of silicon-containing polymersFluorinating agent
Intellectual Property

Patent Landscape

3 patents reference SiF4 or close compositional variants.

PatentTitleAssigneeGranted
6903031In-situ-etch-assisted HDP deposition using SiF4 and hydrogen
7049211In-situ-etch-assisted HDP deposition using SiF4
4714604Method of separating HF and SiF.sub.4 from HCl
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Silicon tetrafluoride, answered from cross-validated data.

What is SiF4?

Silicon tetrafluoride is a stable, insulating gas used extensively as a precursor in the production of silicon-based electronic materials.

More questions
What is SiF4 used for?
Silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) is used in semiconductor etching, chemical vapor deposition, synthesis of silicon-containing polymers, and fluorinating agent.
What is the band gap of SiF4?
Silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) has a DFT-computed band gap of 7.72 eV across 44 reported structures.
Is SiF4 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
With a wide band gap up to 7.72 eV it is an insulator / wide-band-gap material.
Is SiF4 thermodynamically stable?
Yes — Silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. on hull (stable).
How many polymorphs of SiF4 are known?
44 structures of SiF4 are reported across 3 databases, spanning 14 distinct space groups.
What elements does SiF4 contain?
Silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) contains F and Si (2 elements).
Where does the data for SiF4 come from?
SiF4 data is cross-referenced from latticegraph.
Comparison

How It Compares

Within the silicon anode materials class.

Unlike metallic or semi-metallic silicon-based compounds such as FeSi or MoSi2, which are often valued for their electrical conductivity or structural robustness, SiF4 stands out as a highly insulating, volatile species. While materials like Si or Mg2Si are primarily studied for their role in energy storage or semiconductor electronics, SiF4 is distinguished by its gaseous nature and utility as a chemical reagent in thin-film fabrication.

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Related Compounds

Other Silicon Anode Materials in the database.

Data sources & attribution
  • latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform

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