Thermodynamics of fluorine incorporation into silica glass

Fluorine incorporation from the gaseous phase into silica glass was investigated both during the deposition of synthetic silica layers and during the sintering of pre-deposited porous silica layers, using different fluorine-containing compounds. The fluorine content dependence on the gas concentration and the influence of fluorine on the deposition efficiency of silica were determined. The results could be interpreted and quantitatively described by a simplified model of the equilibrium chemistry, valid for different fluorine sources.