Laser Cutting Borofloat 33 Wafers – Borofloat 33 (CTE 3.25 x 10^-6 /K, 350 nm – 2.0 um); Laser Cutting to +/-0.02 mm contour. No minimum order; DFM review included with every RFQ.
We laser-cut Borofloat 33 daily, in thicknesses from 0.03 – 6 mm. The controlling numbers: +/-0.02 mm contour working tolerance, 0.10 mm hole diameter minimum features, and sealed edge, chip-free off the machine. Where the drawing asks for more, downstream lapping and polishing take over.
Specifications at a glance
| Material | Borofloat 33 (SCHOTT float production, wafer grade) |
|---|---|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | 3.25 x 10^-6 /K |
| Service temperature | 450 C continuous |
| Transmission range | 350 nm – 2.0 um |
| Density | 2.23 g/cm3 |
| Knoop hardness | 480 kg/mm2 |
| Refractive index | 1.471 @ 587 nm |
| Stock thickness | 0.70 – 25.4 mm |
| Maximum blank size | 500 x 500 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 |
| Wafer formats | 2", 3", 4", 6", 8" and 12" with SEMI flats or notch |
| TTV | under 3 – 5 um by format |
| RFQ inputs | PDF/DXF/STEP drawing, quantity brackets, surface and edge spec |
Process window
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, Borofloat 33 routinely runs through lapping, coring, polishing, dicing in our shop – most real parts combine two or three of these steps.
Getting the drawing right
Three items decide most of the cost and lead time on this work:
- Material note: float tin side must be tracked when parts see coating or bonding steps.
- 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.
Where these parts end up
The recurring buyers of laser cutting borofloat 33 wafers: microfluidic devices (chips, manifolds, via plates, bonded stacks); machine vision (camera windows, ring-light diffusers, calibration plates); led packaging (groove covers, phosphor carriers, package windows). Background reading on the underlying material science: SCHOTT BOROFLOAT product page.
The fastest route to a quote is geometry: use the 3D builder below, draw a dimensioned 2D drawing from it, or open the site-wide custom glass machining 3D + 2D builder for fully custom parts.
Engineers scoping this work usually also review wafer dicing process, glass in laser systems, special-shaped glass plates.
Frequently asked questions
What equipment runs the laser cutting work?
Picosecond and CO2 laser stations with vision registration.
Is there a minimum order for laser cutting borofloat 33 wafers?
No. Single prototypes are accepted, and pricing steps down at 10, 100 and 1,000 pieces.
How fast can prototypes ship?
Machined prototypes ship in 5 – 10 working days. Coated or bonded parts add 1 – 2 weeks depending on queue slots.
What files do you need for a quote?
A dimensioned PDF plus DXF or STEP geometry. If only a sketch exists, our drawing review service formalizes it before quoting.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in September 2026.