Fused Silica With Micro Holes: Fused Silica (CTE 0.55 x 10^-6 /K, 185 nm – 2.5 um); diameter 0.10 – 0.5 mm, arrays past 10,000 holes. Single-piece prototypes to production volumes, quoted from your drawing.
Buyers come to fused silica with micro holes with two kinds of parts: catalog-adjacent blanks that need accurate finishing, and genuinely custom geometry. We quote both from the same dataset – JGS1 (UV), JGS2 (standard), JGS3 (IR) stock in 0.10 – 50 mm, blanks to 450 x 450 mm.
The numbers
| 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 |
| Feature | Micro Holes |
| Capability | diameter 0.10 – 0.5 mm, arrays past 10,000 holes |
| RFQ inputs | PDF/DXF/STEP drawing, quantity brackets, surface and edge spec |
Getting the drawing right
The shop-floor rules that matter here:
- Material note: its hardness and brittleness demand diamond tooling and controlled feeds.
- Feature rule: aspect ratio to 10:1 in a single laser pass.
- 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, double-side polishing, laser cutting, ultrasonic machining, and multi-step drawings are the norm rather than the exception.
These features are produced by laser cutting or etching. Capability: diameter 0.10 – 0.5 mm, arrays past 10,000 holes. Design rule worth copying onto the drawing: aspect ratio to 10:1 in a single laser pass.
Where these parts end up
Orders for fused silica with micro holes cluster in aerospace optics (sensor windows, star-tracker flats, radiation-tolerant ports); optical sensors (sensor windows, filter caps, lens covers); mems devices (cap wafers, TGV substrates, motion-sensor lids). Background reading on the underlying material science: RP Photonics: fused silica.
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, fused silica wafers 2-12 inch, tolerance design guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum order for fused silica with micro holes?
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.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in September 2026.