Benefits of Fused Silica


Fused Silica is the highly pure, non-crystalline material and is the most preferable choice for making mirror substrate, high performance lens, and simple stable tool. It has many benefits that make it a priority choice among the users.

Some of the benefits of Fused Silica are:

Range of Transmission: A fused silica produces the high throughput over a wide range of the spectrum. A standard UV fused silica transmits more than 90% in the wavelength range of 200nm to 2 microns with the least deviation at 1.4-micron wavelength. The IR grade fused silica achieves more than 90% transmission within the wavelength of 200 nm to 3.5 microns.
Other fused silica varieties allow the transmission in the high-power semiconductor, extreme UV region of 248 nm and 193 nm due to the presence of some impurities. 

Fused Silica is the most superior and versatile glass material as its transmission range lies within the limit of most of the optical glasses.


Low Thermal Expansion Coefficient: Unlike other optical material, fused silica does not lose its surface accuracy even when subjected to large changes in temperature. It has a special property of resisting thermal shock and expansion. This is why it is the most preferable choice for mirror substrates, especially when considering the application of either a metal or dielectric coating.

Minimum Fluorescence: In the designing of the optical system, the signal-to-noise ratio plays an important role. Generally, many materials when exposed to high-intensity radiation such as UV light show fluorescence. This produces an unwanted noise and degrades the overall signal, thus reducing the overall effectiveness of the signal. Fused silica produces very low or no fluorescence in such radiation that makes it a reputable choice for laser applications.

Resistance to Chemical: Fused Silica is chemically inert and does not react with compounds including concentrated acids except Hydrofluoric Acid. This makes it widely used in the laboratories with the harsh environment and with caustic chemicals. The high resistance of the material also protects the surface polish thus protect the material from flatness and transmitted wavefront distortion.

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