In high-vacuum applications, sapphire windows are used due to their ability to withstand harsh environments, including low pressure, high temperatures, and radiation. Here are some typical products that use sapphire windows in high-vacuum environments:
Application: Used in scanning electron microscopes (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) systems, vacuum deposition chambers, and other analytical devices where optical clarity is required under vacuum conditions.
Description: In high-power laser systems, sapphire windows are used to protect the laser cavity and optical components. Sapphire’s resistance to high-energy lasers and its durability under extreme conditions make it ideal for such applications.
Application: Used in laser resonators, laser cutting systems, and optical devices operating in vacuum environments.
Description: Sapphire windows are used in spacecrafts and satellites, where the high-vacuum of space, along with extreme temperature variations and radiation, require durable optical windows.
Application: Space telescopes, satellite observation instruments, and spacecraft external cameras use sapphire windows to maintain their functionality in space’s harsh vacuum conditions.
Description: Mass spectrometers, particularly those used in ultra-high vacuum environments for analyzing molecules or ions, often use sapphire windows to maintain vacuum integrity while allowing optical measurement techniques such as optical emission spectroscopy or laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS).
Application: These systems require the optical windows to be chemically resistant and able to endure ion bombardment or other extreme conditions.
Description: Sapphire windows are used in vacuum-sealed optical systems where clarity and precision are essential. These optical windows are sealed in vacuum systems to protect the delicate optical components while maintaining visibility or transmission of light.
Application: Used in optical microscopes, spectrometers, or vacuum systems where clear, high-precision imaging is required under vacuum conditions.
Description: Instruments used in surface science, such as scanning tunneling microscopes (STM) or atomic force microscopes (AFM), often operate in high-vacuum chambers to avoid contamination. Sapphire windows allow these systems to perform detailed imaging while protecting internal components.
Application: Used in high-vacuum scanning electron microscopes (HV-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and surface analysis chambers.
Description: In vacuum furnaces, sapphire windows allow visual inspection of the furnace interior during high-temperature processing without compromising the vacuum environment. The material’s ability to handle high temperatures and pressure makes it ideal for such applications.
Application: Used in vacuum annealing, vacuum brazing, and vacuum sintering furnaces to monitor materials at elevated temperatures without breaking the vacuum seal.
Description: In UHV systems, which require pressures in the range of 10^-9 to 10^-12 Torr, sapphire windows are used to allow optical or laser-based measurements without contaminating the system.
Application: Used in electron beam evaporation systems, UHV chambers for surface analysis, and thin-film deposition systems that need to maintain extreme cleanliness and vacuum integrity.
Description: Sapphire windows are used in fusion research reactors (such as Tokamak reactors) where the environment is extremely harsh with high radiation, temperature, and vacuum. Sapphire can withstand the demanding conditions of such research environments.
Application: Fusion plasma diagnostics where sapphire windows provide optical access to monitor plasma behavior in vacuum chambers.
Description: In applications where gases are analyzed in high-vacuum conditions (such as mass spectrometry or gas chromatography), sapphire windows may be used to separate the vacuum chamber from the gas analysis equipment while still allowing light to pass through for measurement.
Application: Used in systems that require optical spectroscopy of gases or vacuum-sealed gas analysis chambers.
Why Sapphire for High-Vacuum Applications?
High Hardness and Durability: Sapphire is one of the hardest materials (9 on the Mohs scale), making it resistant to scratches, abrasions, and physical damage.
Optical Transparency: Sapphire is transparent to visible, ultraviolet (UV), and infrared (IR) light, which is essential for optical measurements or imaging in high-vacuum systems.
Temperature and Radiation Resistance: Sapphire can withstand extremely high temperatures (up to ~2000°C in vacuum) and is resistant to radiation damage, making it ideal for harsh environments.
Chemical Inertness: Sapphire is chemically inert and can withstand exposure to corrosive substances, an essential feature in many high-vacuum environments.
Vacuum Compatibility: Sapphire has low outgassing properties, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the vacuum in high-vacuum applications.
Technical parameters of sapphire window
Diamension | Within 500mm |
Thicknesses | Within 100mm |
Shape | Round, square ,rectangular |
Dimension tolerance | +0/-0.1mm |
Thickness tolerance | ±0.05mm |
Surface quality (scratch & dig) | 60-40 or 40-20 |
Surface accuracy | λ/2, λ/4 or better |
Parallelism | 3' ,30'' |
Bevel | 0.1~0.3mm x 45 degree |
Clear aperture | >85%,>90% |
Coating | AR coating or cutomize coating |
Material properties of Sapphire
Optical Properties | |
Transmission Range | 0.2-5μm |
Ne Refractive index@Ne | 1.7771 |
Structure | trigonal system |
Physical Properties | |
Density[g/cm3] | 3.98 |
Melting Point [deg C] | 2030 |
Thermal Conductivity[W/(m×deg C)] | 25.2 |
Thermal Expansion[deg C-1 ] | 5.66*10-6 |
Specific Heat Capacity[J/(kg×deg C)] | 0.7610*103 |
Young's Modulus[GPa] | 34-37 |
Volume elasticity coefficient[GPa] | 250 |
Poisson Coefficient | 0.309 |
Chemical Properties | |
Molecular Weight/ g/mol | 101.96 |
Solubility | 98*10-6 |
Changzhou Nova Import-Export Co.,Ltd is specialized in the end-to-end custom manufacturing of precision optical and imaging components, engineered to meet the exact requirements of your application. Our team partners with you from the initial concept phase through to final production, offering scalable solutions for both prototype development and high-volume manufacturing runs.
Our core capabilities include:
Full Customization: Tailored dimensions, material selection, and specialized coatings.
Superior Surface Quality: High-precision polishing achieving exceptional flatness and finish.
Exacting Tolerances: Manufacturing of complex geometries with tight tolerances for demanding specifications.
Scalable Production: Seamless transition from low-volume prototy
