Octafluoropropane (also known as Flutec PP30, perfluoropropane, R218 or just 218) is used extensively by the semiconductor industry in etch processes and chemical vapour deposition (CVD) chamber cleaning to remove dielectric film build up.

Octafluoropropane is an ideal medium. In a plasma with oxygen, it generates a variety of reactive species that breakdown chemical deposits to make volatile products, which are readily removed under vacuum. Its cleaning effect is comparable to that of C2F6, but with significantly lower gas usage (up to 50%), offering important economic and environmental advantages (see here for example).

Properties include:

• No residue on evaporation
• Excellent materials compatibility
• Essentially non-toxic
• Non-Flammable
• Colourless, odourless