Sapphire prism is an optical element made of high-purity aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), which has high hardness, wear resistance, wide spectrum transmittance and chemical stability. It can maintain stable optical performance in various environments and is suitable for high-precision optical systems such as spectrometers, spectrometers, and semiconductor manufacturing.
Material Properties
Sapphire (Al₂O₃) is a material with high hardness, high melting point, high light transmittance and chemical stability. This gives sapphire prisms excellent physical and chemical properties and the ability to withstand various harsh environments.
Sapphire has a Mohs hardness of 9, second only to diamond, so sapphire prisms are extremely wear-resistant and can resist scratches and abrasions from daily use and cleaning. Sapphire prism has a wide range of light transmittance and has good transmission performance from ultraviolet to infrared bands, allowing it to work effectively in a wide spectral range.
Optical Properties
Sapphire prism has high optical transmittance and low absorption rate, which can reduce the energy loss during light transmission and ensure efficient transmission of light. The refractive index of the sapphire prism is stable and will not change significantly due to changes in environmental factors such as temperature and humidity, ensuring the stability of the optical system.
Sapphire prisms have low birefringence, and the usual IR windows are usually cut from the crystal in a random fashion, but there are specific applications for birefringence, with selected orientations. Materials whose optical axis is at 90 degrees to the surface plane are called “zero degree” materials.
Growth and processing
The manufacturing process of sapphire prism includes multiple steps such as material synthesis, cutting, grinding and polishing.
Through precision processing technology, sapphire prisms with specific shapes and optical properties can be produced. The Verneuil and Czochralski methods are commonly used for the growth of standard grade sapphire materials.
Higher quality sapphire, used in electronic substrates, is grown by Kyropulos, which results in very high purity and excellent UV transmission properties.
Specifications
| Shape | Right angle prism, 60° equilateral dispersion prism, customized prism |
| Materials | Optical grade single crystal sapphire (Al₂O₃) |
| Clear Aperture | >90% |
| Dimension Tolerance | +0.0/-0.2mm |
| Thickness Tolerance | +/-0.2mm |
| Surface Quality | 40/20 S/D |
| Flatness | 1λ @ 633nm |
Application:
Optical instruments:
Sapphire prisms are widely used in optical instruments such as spectrometers and spectrometers due to their high transmittance and wide spectrum transmittance. In these devices, sapphire prisms effectively conduct and separate light, helping researchers analyze the spectral properties of substances. Sapphire prisms have high hardness and good wear resistance, and can maintain stable performance during long-term use, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of optical instruments.
Scientific research experiments:
In scientific research experiments, sapphire prisms are often used in fields such as spectral analysis and optical measurement. Its high transparency and low birefringence help reduce experimental errors and improve the accuracy of experimental results. Sapphire prisms have good chemical stability and can resist erosion by a variety of chemical substances, making them suitable for experiments in various complex environments.
Semiconductor manufacturing:
Sapphire prisms also have important applications in semiconductor manufacturing. For example, sapphire prisms are often used as substrate materials during the growth of materials such as gallium nitride (GaN). Sapphire’s high purity, hardness and thermal stability make it an ideal substrate choice.
Military and Aerospace:
The high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance of sapphire prisms make them potential applications in the military and aerospace fields. For example, in high temperature, high pressure or highly corrosive environments, sapphire prisms can maintain stable optical performance and provide critical optical support for military equipment and aerospace vehicles.
Other fields: Sapphire prisms can also be used in medical equipment, lasers, optical communications and other fields. Its excellent physical and optical properties make it an indispensable optical component in these fields.