UV Fused Silica Optical Windows

Name: UV Fused Silica Optical Windows
Brand: PhotonEdge
SKU: PE-WINDOW-UVFS-014
Availability: LimitedAvailability

Key Specifications

Material	UV Fused Silica (JGS1 / Corning 7980)
Transmission Range	185 nm - 2100 nm
Diameter Range	5 mm - 100 mm
Thickness Range	1 mm - 50 mm
Surface Quality	10-5 (standard) / 20-10 (economy)
Surface Flatness	λ/10 @ 632.8 nm (standard)
Parallelism	< 30 arc sec
CTE	0.55 ppm/K (extremely low thermal expansion)

What Is a UV Fused Silica Optical Windows?

UV fused silica optical windows are fabricated from high-purity synthetic fused silicon dioxide (SiO₂). They offer exceptional optical transmission from the deep ultraviolet (185nm) through the near-infrared (2100nm), making them the most versatile window material for demanding optical systems.

Unlike BK7, UV fused silica does not solarize under prolonged UV exposure, maintaining transmission stability over years of service in UV laser and lithography applications. Its extremely low coefficient of thermal expansion (0.55 ppm/K) ensures dimensional stability under extreme temperature fluctuations.

When Should You Use This Product?

✔ Good Choice When

✓ UV laser systems (193nm, 248nm, 355nm) requiring solarization-resistant windows
✓ Semiconductor wafer inspection optics operating in deep UV
✓ Spectroscopy cells and chambers needing broad UV-to-IR transmission
✓ High-power laser systems where thermal stability is critical

⚠ Consider an Alternative When

✗ Visible-only application with tight budget → BK7 Window

✗ Mid-IR (3-5 µm) thermal imaging → ZnSe Window

✗ Extreme scratch resistance needed in visible → Sapphire Window

✗ Long-pass IR (> 7 µm) applications → Germanium Window

Available Optical Materials

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

Material	Transmission	Key Advantage	Considerations
UV Fused Silica (JGS1)	185-2100nm	Best UV transmission, low CTE, no solarization	Premium cost
N-BK7	350-2000nm	Low cost, good visible performance	No UV transmission below 350nm
Sapphire	150-5500nm	Extreme hardness (9H), good UV-IR coverage	Birefringent, higher Fresnel loss
CaF₂	130-7800nm	Broadest transmission, low index, excellent UV	Fragile, moisture sensitive

Not sure which material to choose?

Ask AI Optical Engineer

Optical Coating Options

UV AR (193nm)

Anti-reflection optimized for ArF excimer laser wavelength. R < 0.5% per surface.

Typical use: Semiconductor lithography, 193nm laser systems

UV AR (248nm)

Anti-reflection for KrF excimer laser. High LIDT coating.

Typical use: UV lithography and UV laser marking

UV AR (355nm)

Anti-reflection for third-harmonic Nd:YAG laser. R < 0.25% per surface.

Typical use: UV laser micromachining, fluorescence excitation

BBAR UV-VIS-NIR

Broadband AR from 250nm to 1100nm. Low reflection across UV and visible.

Typical use: Multi-wavelength spectroscopy, fluorescence imaging

Uncoated

Raw fused silica surface. ~4% reflection per surface across transmission band.

Typical use: Non-critical windows or where AR is not required

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.

Wavelength

UV fused silica transmits from 185nm to 2100nm. For DUV applications (193nm, 248nm), specify synthetic grade (JGS1) for lowest OH absorption.

Laser Power & LIDT

Fused silica has high intrinsic laser damage threshold. However, coating LIDT is usually the limiting factor. Always specify your laser fluence and pulse duration for proper coating selection.

Thermal Stability

With CTE of 0.55 ppm/K, fused silica windows exhibit minimal focus shift or stress birefringence under thermal load. This is critical for space-borne and high-power laser applications.

Surface Quality

10-5 scratch-dig is recommended for UV laser and imaging applications. For general-purpose windows, 20-10 is acceptable and more economical.

Flatness

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

Environment

Fused silica is chemically inert and resistant to most acids. For high-humidity or marine environments, consider hydrophobic coating options.

Applications

UV Laser Systems

Protection windows, output couplers, and beam delivery optics for 193nm/248nm/355nm laser systems.

Semiconductor Inspection

Wafer inspection optics, photolithography subsystems, and cleanroom-compatible windows.

Spectroscopy

UV-Vis-NIR spectrometer cells, fluorescence measurement windows, and Raman spectroscopy optics.

Medical & Life Sciences

Confocal microscopy windows, flow cytometry optics, and fluorescence imaging systems.

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

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Low Volume

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Volume Production

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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:

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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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes UV fused silica different from regular fused silica?

UV fused silica (JGS1) is synthesized from high-purity silicon tetrachloride, resulting in extremely low metallic impurities and OH content control. This enables deep UV transmission down to 185nm with minimal absorption, which regular fused silica cannot achieve.

Will UV fused silica windows solarize under UV exposure?

UV fused silica (JGS1) has very low solarization resistance compared to standard grades. Under prolonged 193nm or 248nm exposure, some transmission degradation may occur over thousands of hours. For critical applications, discuss solarization-hardened options with our engineering team.

What is the maximum operating temperature?

UV fused silica has a softening point of approximately 1683°C and can operate continuously at temperatures up to 1000°C in clean conditions. The low CTE (0.55 ppm/K) means minimal dimensional change across this range.

Can these windows be used in vacuum environments?

Yes. UV fused silica is compatible with high vacuum and ultra-high vacuum environments. It has very low outgassing characteristics, making it suitable for space-borne instruments and vacuum chamber viewports.

What surface quality do you recommend for laser applications?

For UV laser systems, we recommend 10-5 scratch-dig surface quality to minimize scattering losses and laser-induced damage sites. For visible/NIR laser applications, 20-10 is often sufficient.

Do you provide coating performance data?

Yes. We provide coating reflectance curves, LIDT test reports, and environmental durability data with each coated window. All documentation is traceable to the specific batch.

What sizes are available?

Standard diameters range from 5mm to 100mm. Thicknesses from 1mm to 50mm. Larger sizes and non-standard geometries (rectangular, custom shapes) are available upon request.

How do I specify a custom window?

Click 'Request Engineering Quote' and provide: material, diameter/shape, thickness, wavelength, surface quality, flatness, coating requirements, and quantity. Our engineering team will respond with a detailed proposal.

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.

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Provide your requirements and our engineering team will respond within 24 hours with a detailed quotation.

MaterialTransmission RangeDiameter RangeThickness RangeSurface QualitySurface FlatnessParallelismCTE

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