Lapping Quartz Glass – Quartz Glass (CTE 0.59 x 10^-6 /K, 260 nm – 2.5 um); Lapping to flatness 1 – 3 um. No minimum order; DFM review included with every RFQ.
We lap Quartz Glass daily, in thicknesses from 0.2 – 40 mm. The controlling numbers: flatness 1 – 3 um working tolerance, thickness +/-0.003 mm minimum features, and Ra 0.2 – 0.6 um matte off the machine. Where the drawing asks for more, downstream lapping and polishing take over.
Specifications at a glance
| Material | Quartz Glass (GE214-equivalent, semiconductor grade) |
|---|---|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | 0.59 x 10^-6 /K |
| Service temperature | 1,050 C continuous |
| Transmission range | 260 nm – 2.5 um |
| Density | 2.20 g/cm3 |
| Knoop hardness | 500 kg/mm2 |
| Refractive index | 1.459 @ 587 nm |
| Stock thickness | 0.20 – 60 mm |
| Maximum blank size | 450 mm diameter |
| Process | Lapping |
| Working tolerance | flatness 1 – 3 um |
| Minimum feature | thickness +/-0.003 mm |
| Surface finish | Ra 0.2 – 0.6 um matte |
| Thickness window | 0.2 – 40 mm |
| Edge condition | not applicable |
| RFQ inputs | PDF/DXF/STEP drawing, quantity brackets, surface and edge spec |
What the process holds
Lapping earns its place through restoring flatness and parallelism on plates and repairing bowed stock. Its boundary condition – lapped faces are translucent-matte; optical clarity requires a subsequent polish – is the first thing our DFM review checks.
Beyond this page, Quartz Glass routinely runs through coring, polishing, drilling, cnc machining in our shop – most real parts combine two or three of these steps.
Getting the drawing right
Three items decide most of the cost and lead time on this work:
- Material note: natural-quartz batches vary in metallic ppm, so semiconductor lots need certs per melt.
- Process boundary: lapped faces are translucent-matte; optical clarity requires a subsequent polish.
- 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
Orders for lapping quartz glass cluster in semiconductor equipment (view ports, wafer carriers, plasma rings, chamber windows); laboratory instruments (cuvettes, sight glasses, stir-cell windows). Background reading on the underlying material science: ScienceDirect: quartz glass.
The fastest route to a quote is geometry: use the 3D configurator below, or the site-wide custom glass machining 3D builder for fully custom parts.
Related reading on this site: high-purity quartz guide, high-temperature quartz windows, alkali-free display glass.
Buyer questions, answered
What tolerances are achievable on Quartz Glass parts?
Ground features hold +/-0.01 mm and lapped thickness reaches +/-0.003 mm. Natural-quartz batches vary in metallic ppm, so semiconductor lots need certs per melt.
What thickness range do you stock for Quartz Glass?
Standard stock spans 0.20 – 60 mm, with blanks up to 450 mm diameter. Other formats are sourced per order.
How does Quartz Glass behave under heat?
CTE is 0.59 x 10^-6 /K and continuous service reaches 1,050 C continuous, which is what drives its use where fused from natural quartz crystal matters.
What accuracy does lapping hold?
Flatness 1 – 3 um with minimum features of thickness +/-0.003 mm. Lapped faces are translucent-matte; optical clarity requires a subsequent polish.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in July 2026.