Quick answer: Fused Silica for Laboratory Instruments covers Fused Silica (CTE 0.55 x 10^-6 /K, 185 nm – 2.5 um). Prototypes ship in 5-10 working days.
What fused silica for laboratory instruments actually buys from a glass shop: cuvettes, sight glasses, stir-cell windows. The requirement underneath is chemically durable cells and windows in small lots. Fused Silica is the fit here because it offers near-zero thermal expansion.
Key parameters
| Material | Fused Silica (JGS1 (UV), JGS2 (standard), JGS3 (IR)) |
|---|---|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | 0.55 x 10^-6 /K |
| Service temperature | 1,100 C continuous |
| Transmission range | 185 nm – 2.5 um |
| Density | 2.20 g/cm3 |
| Knoop hardness | 500 kg/mm2 |
| Refractive index | 1.458 @ 587 nm |
| Stock thickness | 0.10 – 50 mm |
| Maximum blank size | 450 x 450 mm |
| RFQ inputs | PDF/DXF/STEP drawing, quantity brackets, surface and edge spec |
Specification advice
Three items decide most of the cost and lead time on this work:
- Material note: its hardness and brittleness demand diamond tooling and controlled feeds.
- 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.
Manufacturing capability
One material, many routes: on Fused Silica we also quote sandblasting, coring, grinding, cnc machining, and multi-step drawings are the norm rather than the exception.
Application context
fused silica for laboratory instruments shows up across aerospace optics (sensor windows, star-tracker flats, radiation-tolerant ports); ccd inspection equipment (CCD cover plates, reference grids, stage glass); optical sensors (sensor windows, filter caps, lens covers). Background reading on the underlying material science: RP Photonics: fused silica.
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: fused silica wafers 2-12 inch, fused silica wafer applications, glass wafer bonding.
Buyer questions, answered
How does Fused Silica behave under heat?
CTE is 0.55 x 10^-6 /K and continuous service reaches 1,100 C continuous, which is what drives its use where near-zero thermal expansion matters.
What do laboratory instruments programs usually order?
Cuvettes, sight glasses, stir-cell windows. Typical spec: hydrolytic class 1 materials, fast-turn prototypes.
Is there a minimum order for fused silica for laboratory instruments?
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 August 2026.