Quick answer: Sandblasting Fused Silica covers Fused Silica (CTE 0.55 x 10^-6 /K, 185 nm – 2.5 um); Sandblasting to mask registration +/-0.1 mm. Prototypes ship in 5-10 working days.
The combination of Fused Silica and Sandblasting comes up constantly in RFQs for a reason – the material offers deep-uv transmission, and Sandblasting is the right way to get accurate geometry into it. Expect mask registration +/-0.1 mm and uniform matte, gloss 4 – 8 GU.
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 |
| Process | Sandblasting |
| Working tolerance | mask registration +/-0.1 mm |
| Minimum feature | 1 mm masked window |
| Surface finish | uniform matte, gloss 4 – 8 GU |
| Thickness window | 0.7 – 25 mm |
| Edge condition | not applicable |
| RFQ inputs | PDF/DXF/STEP drawing, quantity brackets, surface and edge spec |
Design guidance
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.
- Process boundary: blasted faces lose roughly 30% bend strength; safety-critical faces get a post-etch.
- 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.
Manufacturing capability
The core strength of Sandblasting is uniform diffusing texture and masked logos or windows at panel scale. The honest limit: blasted faces lose roughly 30% bend strength; safety-critical faces get a post-etch. Both belong on the drawing before quoting, not after.
One material, many routes: on Fused Silica we also quote laser cutting, polishing, dicing, lapping, and multi-step drawings are the norm rather than the exception.
Application context
sandblasting fused silica shows up across 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 configurator below, or the site-wide custom glass machining 3D builder for fully custom parts.
Engineers scoping this work usually also review CNC machining capability, fused silica wafers 2-12 inch, alkali-free glass wafers.
Buyer questions, answered
What tolerances are achievable on Fused Silica parts?
Ground features hold +/-0.01 mm and lapped thickness reaches +/-0.003 mm. Its hardness and brittleness demand diamond tooling and controlled feeds.
What thickness range do you stock for Fused Silica?
Standard stock spans 0.10 – 50 mm, with blanks up to 450 x 450 mm. Other formats are sourced per order.
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 accuracy does sandblasting hold?
Mask registration +/-0.1 mm with minimum features of 1 mm masked window. Blasted faces lose roughly 30% bend strength; safety-critical faces get a post-etch.
What equipment runs the sandblasting work?
Automated cabinets with alumina media and photoresist masks.
Specifications on this page were last reviewed by our engineering team in July 2026.