Calcium fluoride
Identifiers
CAS number	7789-75-5
Properties
Molecular formula	CaF2
Appearance	White crystalline solid(single crystals are transparent)
Density	3.18 ×103 kg/m3 (solid)
Melting point	1402 °C, 1675 K, 2555 °F Image File history File links Calcium_fluoride. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 591 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1084 × 1100 pixels, file size: 351 KB, MIME type: image/png) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... CAS registry numbers are unique numerical identifiers for chemical compounds, polymers, biological sequences, mixtures and alloys. ... A chemical formula is a concise way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound. ... For other uses, see Density (disambiguation). ... “Kg” redirects here. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... The melting point of a crystalline solid is the temperature range at which it changes state from solid to liquid. ...
Boiling point	2497 °C, 2770 K, 4526 °F Italic text This article is about the boiling point of liquids. ...
Solubility in water	virtually insoluble
Hazards
Ingestion hazard	low
Inhalation hazard	low
Eye hazard	low
Skin hazard	low
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references

Calcium fluoride (CaF₂) is an insoluble ionic compound of calcium and fluorine. It occurs naturally as the mineral fluorite (also called fluorspar), and it is the source of most of the world's fluorine. This insoluble solid adopts a cubic structure wherein calcium is coordinated to eight fluoride anions and each F^- ion is surrounded by four Ca²⁺ ions.^[1] Although the pure material is colourless, the mineral is often deeply coloured due to the presence of F-centers. Solubility is a chemical property referring to the ability for a given substance, the solute, to dissolve in a solvent. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... In general terms, eating (formally, ingestion) is the process of consuming something edible, i. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... For other uses, see Eye (disambiguation). ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Beyond overall skin structure, refer below to: See-also. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... The plimsoll symbol as used in shipping In chemistry, the standard state of a material is its state at 1 bar (100 kilopascals exactly). ... This article is about the electrically charged particle. ... A chemical compound is a chemical substance of two or more different chemically bonded chemical elements, with a fixed ratio determining the composition. ... For other uses, see Calcium (disambiguation). ... Distinguished from fluorene and fluorone. ... Fluorite (also called fluor-spar) is a mineral composed of calcium fluoride, CaF2. ... An F-Center, from the German Farbenzentrum, is the anionic vacancy in a crystal filled by one or more electrons (depending on the charge of the missing ion in the crystal). ...

Source of HF

Naturally occurring CaF₂ is the principal source of hydrogen fluoride, a commodity chemical used to produce a wide range of materials. Fluoride is liberated from the mineral by the action of concentrated sulfuric acid: Hydrogen fluoride is a chemical compound with the formula HF. Together with hydrofluoric acid, it is the principal industrial source of fluorine and hence the precursor to many important compounds including pharmaceuticals and polymers (e. ... Template:Chembox new Sulfuric (or sulphuric) acid, H2SO4, is a strong mineral acid. ...

CaF₂(s) + H₂SO₄(l) → CaSO₄(solid) + 2 HF(g)

The resulting HF is converted into fluorine, fluorocarbons, and diverse fluoride materials. As of the late 1990s, five billion kilograms were mined annually.^[2] For other uses, see Solid (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Liquid (disambiguation). ... Calcium sulphate is a common laboratory and industrial chemical. ... Gas can also refer to gasoline and natural gas and also hydrogen. ... Some important fluorocarbons. ...

Other applications

Calcium fluoride is commonly used as a window material for both infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths, since it is transparent in these regions (about 0.15 µm to 9 µm) and exhibits extremely weak birefringence. Furthermore the material is fairly inert chemically so that these windows are not attacked. Nevertheless, at wavelengths as low as 157 nm, which are interesting to semiconductor manufacturers, the birefringence of calcium fluoride exceeds tolerable limits. This problem with birefringence can be mitigated through optimised growth process. It is particularly important as an ultraviolet optical material for integrated circuit lithography. Canon also uses artificially-crystallized calcium fluoride components in some of its L-series lenses to reduce light dispersion. As an infrared optical material, calcium fluoride is sometimes known by the Eastman Kodak trademarked name "Irtran-3," although this designation is obsolete. For other uses, see Infrared (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Ultraviolet (disambiguation). ... A calcite crystal laid upon a paper with some letters showing the double refraction Birefringence, or double refraction, is the decomposition of a ray of light into two rays (the ordinary ray and the extraordinary ray) when it passes through certain types of material, such as calcite crystals, depending on... A semiconductor is a solid whose electrical conductivity is in between that of a conductor and that of an insulator, and can be controlled over a wide range, either permanently or dynamically. ... Integrated circuit of Atmel Diopsis 740 System on Chip showing memory blocks, logic and input/output pads around the periphery Microchips with a transparent window, showing the integrated circuit inside. ... Photolithography is a process used in semiconductor device fabrication to transfer a pattern from a photomask (also called reticle) to the surface of a substrate. ... Canon Inc. ... The electronic (gold-plated) contacts of an EF mount lens. ... Dispersion of a light beam in a prism. ... Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE: EK) is an American multinational public company which produces photographic materials and equipment. ...

Uranium-doped calcium fluoride was the second type of solid state laser invented, in the 1960s. Peter Sorokin and Mirek Stevenson at IBM's laboratories in Yorktown Heights (US) achieved lasing at 2.5 µm shortly after Maiman's ruby laser. General Name, symbol, number uranium, U, 92 Chemical series actinides Group, period, block n/a, 7, f Appearance silvery gray metallic; corrodes to a spalling black oxide coat in air Standard atomic weight 238. ... In semiconductor production, doping refers to the process of intentionally introducing impurities into an extremely pure (also referred to as intrinsic) semiconductor in order to change its electrical properties. ... A solid-state laser is a laser that uses a gain medium that is a solid, rather than a liquid such as dye lasers or a gas such as gas lasers. ... For other uses, see IBM (disambiguation) and Big Blue. ... Yorktown Heights is an unincorporated hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located in the town of Yorktown in Westchester County, New York. ... Theodore Maiman. ... Diagram of the first ruby laser. ...

It is also used as a flux for melting and liquid processing of iron, steel and their composites. Its action is based on its similar melting point to iron, on its ability to dissolve oxides and on its ability to wet oxides and metals.

Safety

Fluorides are toxic to humans, however CaF₂ is considered relatively harmless due to its extreme insolubility. The situation is analogous to BaSO₄, where the toxicity normally associated with Ba²⁺ is offset by the very low solubility of its sulfate derivative. Granulated Barium Sulfate Barium sulfate (or barium sulphate) is the white crystalline solid with the formula BaSO4. ...

References

1. ^ G. L. Miessler and D. A. Tarr “Inorganic Chemistry” 3rd Ed, Pearson/Prentice Hall publisher, ISBN 0-13-035471-6.
2. ^ Holleman, A. F.; Wiberg, E. "Inorganic Chemistry" Academic Press: San Diego, 2001. ISBN 0-12-352651-5.

See also

• List of laser types
• Photolithography

An immense slab of continuous melt processed neodymium doped laser glass for use on the National Ignition Facility. ... Photolithography is a process used in semiconductor device fabrication to transfer a pattern from a photomask (also called reticle) to the surface of a substrate. ...

Related materials

• Barium fluoride
• Magnesium fluoride
• Calcium chloride

Barium fluoride (BaF2) is a chemical compound of barium and fluorine, also known as Barium(II) fluoride. ... Magnesium fluoride (MgF2) is a white crystalline salt composed of one magnesium ion and two fluoride ions, and is used in the electrolysis of aluminium ore. ... R-phrases S-phrases , , Related Compounds Other anions calcium fluoride calcium bromide calcium iodide Other cations magnesium chloride strontium chloride Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ...

External links

• NIST webbook thermochemistry data
• Uranium doped CaF₂ laser (pdf file)
• Charles Townes on the history of lasers
• National Pollutant Inventory - Flouride and compounds fact sheet
• MSDS (University of Oxford)