Laser Cutting FTO Coated Glass: FTO Coated Glass (CTE substrate dependent, 80 – 82% visible @ 7 ohm/sq); Laser Cutting to +/-0.02 mm contour. Single-piece prototypes to production volumes, quoted from your drawing.
laser cutting fto coated glass is a materials problem before it is a machining problem. FTO Coated Glass has thermal stability beyond ito and a Knoop hardness of harder film than ITO, so the laser cutting recipe – feeds, coolant, tooling – differs from what works on ordinary float glass. The line runs picosecond and CO2 laser stations with vision registration and holds +/-0.02 mm contour.
Key parameters
| Material | FTO Coated Glass (TEC-7, TEC-15 equivalents) |
|---|---|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | substrate dependent |
| Service temperature | 600 C (coating stable) |
| Transmission range | 80 – 82% visible @ 7 ohm/sq |
| Density | 2.23 – 2.50 g/cm3 |
| Knoop hardness | harder film than ITO |
| Refractive index | ~2.0 (FTO film) |
| Stock thickness | 1.1 – 3.2 mm substrates |
| Maximum blank size | 360 x 300 mm |
| Process | Laser Cutting |
| Working tolerance | +/-0.02 mm contour |
| Minimum feature | 0.10 mm hole diameter |
| Surface finish | sealed edge, chip-free |
| Thickness window | 0.03 – 6 mm |
| Edge condition | filamentation edge, optional post-polish |
| RFQ inputs | PDF/DXF/STEP drawing, quantity brackets, surface and edge spec |
Specification advice
Before sending the RFQ, check these against your drawing:
- Material note: the harder FTO film abrades diamond tooling faster and edges need post-cut inspection for film lift.
- Process boundary: aspect ratio in a single pass tops out near 10:1; thicker sections shift to coring or ultrasonic work.
- Over-specification is the quiet budget killer: a 20/10 scratch-dig face costs roughly three times an 80/50 face, so grade each surface individually.
For the complete framework, see the tolerance design guide and the holes and edges design guide.
What the process holds
Laser Cutting earns its place through chip-free free-form contours and dense hole arrays in thin and ultra-thin glass. Its boundary condition – aspect ratio in a single pass tops out near 10:1; thicker sections shift to coring or ultrasonic work – is the first thing our DFM review checks.
Beyond this page, FTO Coated Glass routinely runs through cnc machining, edge grinding, coring, etching in our shop – most real parts combine two or three of these steps.
Where these parts end up
Orders for laser cutting fto coated glass cluster in scientific instruments (reference flats, cells, prism mounts, stage inserts); oled packaging (cover lids, frit-seal frames, fill-port plates); machine vision (camera windows, ring-light diffusers, calibration plates). Background reading on the underlying material science: ScienceDirect: FTO glass.
Dimensions still moving? Configure this part live in the 3D builder below, or open the full custom glass machining 3D builder to start from a blank canvas.
Useful companion pages: laser glass cutting, glass in laser systems, fused silica wafer applications.
Frequently asked questions
What tolerances are achievable on FTO Coated Glass parts?
Ground features hold +/-0.01 mm and lapped thickness reaches +/-0.003 mm. The harder FTO film abrades diamond tooling faster and edges need post-cut inspection for film lift.
What thickness range do you stock for FTO Coated Glass?
Standard stock spans 1.1 – 3.2 mm substrates, with blanks up to 360 x 300 mm. Other formats are sourced per order.
How does FTO Coated Glass behave under heat?
CTE is substrate dependent and continuous service reaches 600 C (coating stable), which is what drives its use where thermal stability beyond ITO matters.
What accuracy does laser cutting hold?
+/-0.02 mm contour with minimum features of 0.10 mm hole diameter. Aspect ratio in a single pass tops out near 10:1; thicker sections shift to coring or ultrasonic work.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in July 2026.