Perfluoroethane (C₂F₆, also known as hexafluoroethane) is a typical fluorine-containing electronic specialty gas. Its technological principle primarily involves chemical reactions within a plasma environment. In semiconductor, photovoltaic, and display panel manufacturing processes, C₂F₆ is introduced into a vacuum reaction chamber and ionizes and dissociates under a radio frequency electric field, forming fluorine radicals (F·) and other fluorine-containing reactive particles. These reactive species possess strong reactivity and can chemically react with substances such as silicon and silica on the material surface.

In dry etching processes, the carbon-fluorine bonds in the C₂F₆ molecule break under the influence of plasma energy, releasing active fluorine atoms that participate in the etching reaction. For example, active fluorine reacts with silicon to generate volatile silicon fluoride (such as SiF₄), which is then removed through a vacuum degassing system, achieving selective removal of the thin film material. This process, combining chemical reaction with physical bombardment, can achieve micron- and even nanometer-scale structure fabrication.

The etching effect of C₂F₆ is affected by a variety of process parameters, including RF power, cavity pressure, gas flow rate, temperature, and the ratio of mixed gases. By adjusting these parameters, the concentration and distribution of active particles in the plasma can be controlled, thereby changing the etching rate, selectivity, and processing precision. Therefore, electronic-grade perfluoroethane not only requires high purity of the main components but also strict control of moisture, oxygen, nitrogen, and other trace impurities to ensure process stability.