Quartz Glass with Optical Quality

Special Properties

• Excellent optical transmittance of ultraviolet light
• Extreme heat resistance up to 1000 °C
• Outstanding temperature shock resistance
• Low coefficient of thermal expansion
• High-purity glass composition
• Very resistant to chemicals
• Low fluorescence
• Excellent electrical insulation properties
• Made by melting purest raw materials

Typical Applications

• UV-transparent optics
• Applications with very high operating temperatures
• UV-windows
• Flame observation glass
• Substrates for dielectric coatings
• Components for laser systems
• Microscope slides and cover-slips for UV-applications
• Mechanical quartz components
• UV-measurement technology
• Chemical resistant windows
• Windows for space applications
• Semiconductor technology

Get a price for
Quartz Optics

Also available in 48 h Express-Service*

Optical Quartz Glass is Synthetic Fused Silica

Quartz glass qualities that can be used for optics consist of high-purity synthetically produced molten quartz material. This type of glass is also known as "fused-silica". The material contains practically only silicon and oxygen (silicon dioxide) and is characterized by a very high purity. Only such quartz materials offer this great UV-transmittance of more than 80% already at 185 nm while offering a very small absorption in this spectrum. This high UV-permeability is possible with hardly any other glass.

Also, the enormous operating temperature range and the thermal strength of quartz glass is remarkable. It can be operated continuously at temperatures of 1000 °C and it is highly resistant to thermal shock. These exceptional thermal strength is resulting from the low coefficient of expansion of quartz glass.

The unique chemical characteristics of this material are outstanding. Quartz glass is extremely resistant to salt solutions, acids, and water. The chemical resistance to bases surpasses almost all other glasses.

Due to its purity quartz glass shows remarkably good electrical properties. It has a very small conductivity and therefore offers a particularly high insulation resistivity. Electric currents can only flow through moving ionic impurities which are marginal in quartz glass. This is an important property for semiconductor and electronic applications.

 

Quartz Optics

We produce quartz glass optics mainly from quartz materials in the form of blocks, the so-called "boules". If required the raw material can be selected and specified with a view to extremely low inclusions and bubbles. In addition, the index homogeneity grade of this quartz glass can be chosen down to ≤ 0,5 ppm. To fabricate an optic out of a boule the raw quartz material is first sawn from the block, then formed into the desired shape, ground, and optically polished. In this way, our company manufactures quartz windows, substrates, wafers, microscope slides, laser components, and other optics on a daily basis.

 

Sight Glass Grade Quartz Glass Materials

In addition to the UV-grades of fused silica described above we also process lower grades of quartz for temperature-resistant sight glasses or UV-lamp covers for example. As the material quality and the DUV-transparency are of secondary concern for such applications, the cheaper natural fused quartz types of materials can usually be taken for the fabrication of such components. Unlike optical fused silica, these materials are produced by melting natural quartz instead of high-purity synthetic quartz. Hence, they cannot offer such high inner quality. This kind of materials are therefore less suitable for demanding applications. But because they offer similar good thermal properties, and they are more economical than the high-end glass described above these materials are typically used for high temperature viewports, lamp housings, etc. The data sheet of our natural fused quartz can be found here.

 

Get a Quote for Your Quartz Component

In order to receive a quote for windows, substrates, slides, or other components based on optical grade quartz glass material with individual dimensions please click on the following button:

 

Get a price for
Quartz Optics

 

 

Express Service Production 

For optics grade quartz glasses, we also offer a fabrication within the scope of our 48 h Express-Service. The thicknesses possible in the scope of the express-service are listed below. All of these quartz materials have double side polished surface finishes. You can open a price inquiry form by clicking on a desired glass thickness below. Please select the express option in the inquiry form in case you want to take advantage of this service at extra cost:

*Express-Service glass thicknesses:
0,30 mm ; 0,50 mm ; 1,00 mm; 2,00 mm and 3,00 mm.

 

Specifications & Properties

Zoom in to view more details
(Transmittance curve for synthetic quartz)

Ultraviolet Transmission

• T > 80% at 185 nm
  (only UV-grade quartz = fused silica)
• Transmittance of non-UV-grade quartz material
  per inquiry

Refractive Index

• n_d = 1,4585 (fused silica)

Density

• 2,20 g/cm³

Young's Modulus

• typ. 74 Gpa

Homogeneity

• Homogeneity specifications per inquiry
• Index homogeneities of UV-grade quartz materials down to ≤ 0,5 ppm are possible on demand

Inclusion Classes

• Inclusion specifications to be requested

Average Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

• approximately 0,57 x 10^-6/K

Viscosity

• Softening point approximately 1585 °C
• Annealing point approximately 1042 °C
• Strain point approximately 893 °C

Dielectric Constant

• ε_r: 3,9 (500 MHz)

Our company processes quartz glass from all leading raw glass manufacturers (Corning, Heraeus, Tosoh, SCHOTT, Saint Gobain, GE, etc.). Detailed specifications and properties of all optical fused silica and fused quartz glass qualities we process can be requested.

 

All given details and specifications are mean reference values and are not guaranteed. In addition please consider the "Notes on technical specifications"

 

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