Sapphire Windows | PhotonEdge

Name: Sapphire Optical Windows
Brand: PhotonEdge
SKU: PE-WINDOW-SAPP-015
Availability: LimitedAvailability

Key Specifications

Material	Single Crystal Sapphire (Al₂O₃)
Transmission Range	150 nm - 5500 nm
Hardness	9 Mohs (second only to diamond)
Diameter Range	3 mm - 100 mm
Thickness Range	0.5 mm - 30 mm
Surface Quality	20-10 (standard) / 10-5
Flatness	λ/4 @ 632.8 nm
CTE	5.3 ppm/K

Parameter Reference Guide

Typical Standard capability — available as shown
Available Alternative options exist — request quotation
Custom Per your drawing — quote after review
Subject to Review Depends on project specifics

What Is a Sapphire Optical Windows?

Sapphire (single crystal Al₂O₃) windows offer exceptional hardness (9 Mohs), excellent chemical resistance, and broad optical transmission from 150nm to 5500nm. They are the premier choice for windows in harsh environments where scratch resistance, high temperature, and chemical durability are critical.

Applications include military and aerospace sensor windows, high-pressure vessel viewports, medical device windows, and any environment where BK7 or fused silica would be too fragile.

When Should You Use This Product?

✔ Good Choice When

✓ Harsh environments requiring extreme scratch resistance
✓ High-temperature optical windows (> 500°C)
✓ Medical and surgical instrument windows
✓ Military/aerospace sensor protection windows

⚠ Consider an Alternative When

✗ UV-only application, budget sensitive → UV Fused Silica Window

✗ Mid-IR beyond 5µm → ZnSe Window

✗ General-purpose visible window → BK7 Window

✗ Low birefringence critical → Isotropic material (Fused Silica)

Available Optical Materials

Select the optimal substrate material based on your wavelength, environment, and budget requirements.

Material	Transmission	Key Advantage	Considerations
Sapphire (c-cut)	150-5500nm	Uniaxial crystal, c-axis perpendicular to window face	Birefringent
Sapphire (a-cut)	150-5500nm	Alternative crystal orientation	Different birefringence properties

Not sure which material to choose?

Ask AI Optical Engineer

Optical Coating Options

BBAR UV-VIS

Broadband AR for 300-2000nm. R < 0.5% per surface.

Typical use: General UV-VIS applications

BBAR VIS-NIR

Broadband AR for 400-2500nm.

Typical use: Extended NIR applications

AR Custom Wavelength

Custom AR for specific wavelength bands.

Typical use: Laser or sensor-specific applications

Uncoated

Raw sapphire surface. ~5-7% reflection per surface.

Typical use: Non-critical applications

How to Specify Your Coating

To select the right coating, please provide: (1) Operating wavelength, (2) Angle of incidence, (3) Required transmission or reflectivity, (4) Laser power density (if applicable), (5) Operating environment.

Engineering Considerations

Key factors to evaluate when specifying this optical component for your system.

Birefringence

Sapphire is birefringent (Δn ≈ 0.008). For polarization-sensitive applications, specify crystal cut orientation.

Hardness

9 Mohs makes sapphire extremely scratch resistant but also difficult to polish to optical quality. Lead times may be longer.

Thermal Properties

Operating temperature to 500°C continuous. Melting point 2040°C. Good thermal shock resistance.

Chemical Resistance

Resistant to most acids, alkalis, and solvents. Suitable for aggressive chemical environments.

Have a Custom Optical Requirement?

Upload your drawing or describe your specification. Our engineering team will review and respond within 1 business day with a detailed quotation.

Upload Drawing / RFQ Ask AI Optical Engineer

Applications

Harsh Environment Optics

Military, aerospace, and industrial sensor protection windows.

Medical Devices

Surgical instrument windows and medical device optics.

High-Temperature Systems

Furnace viewports, high-power laser windows, and thermal systems.

Research & Education

Pressure cell windows and extreme environment experiments.

Manufacturing & Customization

PhotonEdge supports optical component sourcing, engineering review, and qualified manufacturing through our optical manufacturing network. We coordinate production, coating, and inspection to deliver components that meet your specifications.

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Prototype

⚙️

Low Volume

🏭

Volume Production

📋

Custom Specification

Quality Assurance

Dimensional Inspection

Diameter, thickness, focal length verified per specification

Surface Quality

Scratch-dig inspection under calibrated illumination

Coating Verification

Spectrophotometric measurement of transmission/reflectance

Inspection documentation available according to project requirements. Certificates of Conformance, material test reports, and coating curves can be provided.

You May Also Need

Related Knowledge

Engineering Documentation

The following documentation is available upon request for qualified engineering projects:

📐

Dimensional Drawing

CAD & dimensional specs per your requirements

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Material Data Sheet

Material properties, transmission curves & certificates

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Coating Performance Curve

Spectrophotometric measurement data

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Inspection Report

Surface quality, flatness, centration & dimensional data

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Certificate of Conformance

CoC with full traceability per project requirements

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Custom Specification Sheet

Application-specific specification documentation

Documentation availability depends on project scope and order quantity. Request details during RFQ.

Ordering Information

Price Range

See Quote

Standard Lead Time

Ships within 1 week after payment

Custom Lead Time

Subject to engineering evaluation

MOQ

1 Piece

Samples

Available

Contact us for exact pricing based on your specifications.

Specification Parameters

Typical Specifications shown on this page are standard capabilities. Available Options include alternative materials and coatings. Custom Specifications are available per your drawing. Requirements beyond standard capability are marked Subject to Engineering Review.

Get a Quote Full Ordering Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

What sizes are available?

Standard diameters range from 5mm to 100mm with thicknesses from 1mm to 50mm. Larger sizes and custom shapes are available upon request.

Can these windows be used in vacuum environments?

Most optical window materials are compatible with vacuum environments. Fused silica and sapphire have very low outgassing characteristics.

What surface quality do you recommend?

For laser applications, 10-5 is recommended. For general-purpose windows, 20-10 is acceptable and more economical.

Can I specify a custom shape?

Yes. Circular, rectangular, square, and custom shapes are available. Provide your drawing or dimensional requirements for a quotation.

What flatness should I specify?

λ/10 is standard for precision applications. For wavefront-critical systems, λ/20 or tighter is available. Note that tighter flatness directly affects cost.

How do I specify a custom window?

Provide: material, diameter/shape, thickness, wavelength, surface quality, flatness, coating requirements, and quantity.

What makes sapphire windows special?

Sapphire has 9 Mohs hardness (second only to diamond), excellent thermal stability, and broad 150-5500nm transmission.

Is sapphire birefringent?

Yes. Sapphire is uniaxial birefringent. Specify crystal orientation for polarization-sensitive applications.

Not Sure Which Specification You Need?

Describe your optical system and our AI Optical Engineer will help identify the right specifications, materials, and coatings for your application.

Analyze My Requirement

Request a Quote

Provide your requirements and our engineering team will respond within 1 business day with a detailed quotation.

MaterialTransmission RangeHardnessDiameter RangeThickness RangeSurface QualityFlatnessCTE

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Sapphire Optical Windows