Study of the impurity composition of silicon tetrachloride by gas chromatography-mass-spectrometry

Silicon tetrachloride is a sought-after substance in the semiconductor and optoelectronics industries. High demands placed on its purity entail the need for detail information about the impurities present. The impurity composition of silicon tetrachloride obtained by different technologies (chlorination of diatomite and charcoal, disproportionation of trichlorosilane and chlorination of isotopically enriched silicon) was studied using the method of chromatography-mass spectrometry. Study of the possibility of using a DB-5MS 30 m × 0.32 mm × 0.25 μm capillary column with methylsiloxane as a stationary liquid phase to separate impurities revealed that most of the identified substances are eluted in the form of separate chromatographic peaks, which simplifies their determination. The exceptions are impurities N2, O2, Ar, as well as CO2, SiF4, and CHClF2, HCl, H2S. They were registered using the characteristic peaks of the mass spectra. To identify impurities, experimental mass spectra were compared to data from the NIST library and those known from the literature. Information on the impurity composition of SiCl4 has been expanded. It contains permanent gases, aliphatic and chlorine-containing hydrocarbons, chlorides of elements, sulfur-containing substances, and organosilicon compounds. A total of 30 compounds are identified, 19 being discovered for the first time. The mass spectrum of C2H6Cl4OSi2, which is absent in the literature, was obtained and described. For the first time, data on the impurity composition of isotopically enriched silicon tetrachloride have been obtained. A comparative analysis of the impurity composition of the samples under study was carried out and the impurities characteristic of each of them were determined. The data obtained in the study can be used in developing the technology for deep purification of silicon tetrachloride and in characterization of SiCl4 by manufacturing enterprises.