Etching FTO Coated Glass – FTO Coated Glass (CTE substrate dependent, 80 – 82% visible @ 7 ohm/sq); Etching to depth control +/-1 um. No minimum order; DFM review included with every RFQ.
We etch FTO Coated Glass daily, in thicknesses from 0.1 – 5 mm. The controlling numbers: depth control +/-1 um working tolerance, 10 um channel width (masked HF) minimum features, and isotropic smooth walls off the machine. Where the drawing asks for more, downstream lapping and polishing take over.
Specifications at a glance
| 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 | Etching |
| Working tolerance | depth control +/-1 um |
| Minimum feature | 10 um channel width (masked HF) |
| Surface finish | isotropic smooth walls |
| Thickness window | 0.1 – 5 mm |
| Edge condition | stress-relief etch available |
| RFQ inputs | PDF/DXF/STEP drawing, quantity brackets, surface and edge spec |
What the process holds
Etching earns its place through microchannels, cavities and frosted textures without mechanical stress. Its boundary condition – isotropic undercut roughly equals depth, so masks are compensated at layout time – is the first thing our DFM review checks.
Beyond this page, FTO Coated Glass routinely runs through dicing, coring, edge grinding, cnc machining in our shop – most real parts combine two or three of these steps.
Getting the drawing right
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: isotropic undercut roughly equals depth, so masks are compensated at layout time.
- 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.
Who orders this
The recurring buyers of etching fto coated glass: laboratory instruments (cuvettes, sight glasses, stir-cell windows); microfluidic devices (chips, manifolds, via plates, bonded stacks); oled packaging (cover lids, frit-seal frames, fill-port plates). Background reading on the underlying material science: ScienceDirect: FTO glass.
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.
For adjacent specifications, see FTO conductive glass, custom FTO glass, glass wafer coring.
Buyer questions, answered
What equipment runs the etching work?
Buffered HF wet benches and masked lithography line.
Is there a minimum order for etching fto coated glass?
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.