Borofloat 33 Glass Wafers for MEMS – Borofloat 33 (CTE 3.25 x 10^-6 /K, 350 nm – 2.0 um). No minimum order; DFM review included with every RFQ.
borofloat 33 glass wafers for mems programs need anodic-bondable wafers with tight TTV. Borofloat 33 is the fit here because it offers float-glass flatness off the line. Typical parts: cap wafers, TGV substrates, motion-sensor lids.
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 |
| 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
Beyond this page, Borofloat 33 routinely runs through etching, double-side polishing, laser cutting, grinding in our shop – most real parts combine two or three of these steps.
Specification advice
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.
- 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 borofloat 33 glass wafers for mems: mems devices (cap wafers, TGV substrates, motion-sensor lids); optical sensors (sensor windows, filter caps, lens covers); microfluidic devices (chips, manifolds, via plates, bonded stacks). 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.
Related reading on this site: wafer dicing process, glass hole micromachining, holes and edges design guide.
Buyer questions, answered
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.
Do parts ship with inspection data?
Dimensional reports, surface certificates and material certs per melt are available; specify the level on the RFQ.
What tolerances are achievable on Borofloat 33 parts?
Ground features hold +/-0.01 mm and lapped thickness reaches +/-0.003 mm. Float tin side must be tracked when parts see coating or bonding steps.
What thickness range do you stock for Borofloat 33?
Standard stock spans 0.70 – 25.4 mm, with blanks up to 500 x 500 mm. Other formats are sourced per order.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in October 2026.