Optical Sapphire Windows for Research and Production

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Optical Sapphire Windows

Fabricating high-power electronics and light-emitting diodes can be difficult because of the need for a transparent window material.

UniversityWafer, Inc.'s optical sapphire wafers is the best option for producing high-power electronics and light-emitting diodes because they have many advantages over other materials. Sapphire is highly transparent, easy to process into complex devices, and resistant to damage from heat and radiation.

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How Strong are Sapphire Wafers?

Sapphire windows is one of the hardest materials after diamond. They are often used in extreme enviorments including space with radiation is an issue. For medical research/production sapphire is used in microfluidic devices. Optical sapphire is a benefit for military hardware as it performs as its very wide optical transmission that is better than traditional glass. Sapphire's wide optical transmission band from UV to near-IR, (0.15-5.5µm) No Ultra-Violett radiation darkening protects hardware.

What is the Difference Bewteen Epi Ready Polished Sapphire and Optical Sapphire?

The difference between  "50.8mm 430um DSP C-M 0.2 Deg" and "optical sapphire". --> the previous is epi-ready polished by CMP process, surface roughness less than 0.3nm, very smooth and good surface for epitaxial growth, the "optical sapphire" is polished transparent, surface roughness less than 1nm.

200mm Optical Sapphire Windows

A corporate researcher requested the following quote:

I hope you had a fine week so far. We're looking to procure a couple of samples of 200 mm optical sapphire windows. Specification to meet or excede listed requirements. Shape: Spherical Diameter: 8in/200 mm Thickness: 1.25 mm Approx. Surface Flatness λ /4@633 nm Surface Quality Scratch Dig 40-20 Material: Sapphire Profile Plane/Flat Please advise your best price and lead time for the same.

Reference #262108  for specs and pricing.

What are Optically Transparent Sapphire Wafers?

An optically transparent sapphire wafer can be used to produce high-power electronics and light-emitting diodes. The materials used in the process are silicon carbide, quartz, glass, and lithium niobate. The following are the main advantages of sapphire as a transparent window material. The first advantage is that sapphire is a highly transparent material and can be processed into various complex devices.

optically transparent  sapphire wafer

Infrared spectroscopy can detect defects in optically transparent materials such as sapphire. Because sapphire is an excellent infrared window, multiple-detector IR cameras can be used for the process. The measurements obtained in IR are similar to observations made at visible wavelengths. The researchers used a multi-detector IR camera to measure radiation intensity on a rake face of a sapphire wafer. The device uses a focal-plane array of 256x256 Indium-Antimonide detectors.

The main benefit of an optically transparent sapphire wafer is its ability to transmit light in a narrow wavelength range. The wavelength range of the material is 150-6000 nm. It is strong enough to be useful even at close wavelengths. Its transparency makes it a great infrared window. In addition, it makes a very useful optical substrate. The advantages of an optically transparent sapphire wader are many.

Optically transparent sapphire wafers are very difficult to inspect using conventional equipment. A sapphire tool is difficult to use because the temperature at the interface increases from the minimum near the cutting edge to the maximum near the edge of the contact. Moreover, a sapphire tool does not leave any deposits near the cutting edge. Unlike diamond tools, the tools do not leave any traces of deposits on the rake face.

Optical Sapphire Wafers

Sapphire wafers are used in teh optoelectronics and microelectronic industries. Unlike less expensive Silicon, Sapphire wafers are used as insulator. Sapphire's Advantages over other substrates include:

  • High working temperatureOptical Sapphire Wafer and Cassette
  • Good thermal conductivitity
  • Superior mechanical properties
  • Anti-corrosive
  • Low dielectric loss
  • Excellent light transmission.


Sapphire Optical Windows Applications Include:

  • Used for Blue LED manufacturing
  • High TC superconductor
  • Microwave IC applications
  • Mechanical parts and vacuum equipment
  • UV and optics

UniversityWafer, Inc's Optical Sapphire Windows are availble in all orientation including:

UniversityWafer, Inc have all diameters/dimensions from 1mm round to 200mm and thicknesses as thin as 100 micron sapphire available.