Borofloat 33 With Grooves: Borofloat 33 (CTE 3.25 x 10^-6 /K, 350 nm – 2.0 um); depth from 0.2 mm, V, U or square section. Single-piece prototypes to production volumes, quoted from your drawing.
Buyers come to borofloat 33 with grooves with two kinds of parts: catalog-adjacent blanks that need accurate finishing, and genuinely custom geometry. We quote both from the same dataset – SCHOTT float production, wafer grade stock in 0.70 – 25.4 mm, blanks to 500 x 500 mm.
The numbers
| 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 |
| Feature | Grooves |
| Capability | depth from 0.2 mm, V, U or square section |
| RFQ inputs | PDF/DXF/STEP drawing, quantity brackets, surface and edge spec |
Design guidance
The shop-floor rules that matter here:
- Material note: float tin side must be tracked when parts see coating or bonding steps.
- Feature rule: depth under 50% of thickness preserves strength.
- 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.
The full rules live in our tolerance design guide and holes and edges design guide.
Capabilities and limits
One material, many routes: on Borofloat 33 we also quote dicing, coring, ultrasonic machining, sandblasting, and multi-step drawings are the norm rather than the exception.
These features are produced by cnc machining or ultrasonic machining. Capability: depth from 0.2 mm, V, U or square section. Design rule worth copying onto the drawing: depth under 50% of thickness preserves strength.
Typical applications
The recurring buyers of borofloat 33 with grooves: led packaging (groove covers, phosphor carriers, package windows); 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.
Dimensions still moving? Configure this part live in the 3D + 2D builder below, or open the full custom glass machining 3D + 2D builder to start from a blank canvas.
Useful companion pages: wafer dicing process, Borofloat 33 selection guide, thickness and flatness guide.
Buyer questions, answered
Is there a minimum order for borofloat 33 with grooves?
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.
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.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in September 2026.