Heraeus Suprasil® 313

Outside of the optics industry, most individuals pay little mind to the role glass plays in our everyday lives. To them, glass is simply glass, a transparent material that tends to scratch easily and breaks when dropped. However, to those working in the high tech field of optical design and fabrication, a glass substrate is far more than an ordinary windowpane; it is a complex mixture of ingredients precisely combined to yield specific and often highly stringent performance characteristics. 

Due to its high performance across a broad range of applications, Esco has recently added Heraeus SupraSil® 313 to our vast inventory of optical materials. SupraSil 313 is a non-fluorescing, high purity fused silica with </=250 ppm OH content enabling high transmission from the ultraviolet to near infrared regions. Of specific interest is the guaranteed coefficient of absorption at 1064nm of <3 ppm cm^-1 making this material an excellent choice for industrial lasers operating in this region.    

Additionally, SupraSil 313 is produced in cost-effective, near-net shape ingots drawn out as molten glass rods allowing for lower production costs and quicker manufacturing time. The raw material form also saves cost by reducing the number of fabrication steps required to produce high-precision 2D laser optics, including mirrors, lenses, windows, disposable debris shields and glass wafers. The result is lower-cost optics with excellent performance characteristics.

For more in-depth information about the optical material properties please visit Esco’s Optics University segment covering the terms below.

Material characteristics of SupraSil 313

Striae: No striations in the primary functional direction, i.e. striae class A according to MIL-G-174-B.

Bubble Class: 0 per Din 58597, no bubbles or inclusions to 10 micron level

Fluorescence: None. At stimulation with light at a wavelength of λ = 254 nm (Hg low pressure lamp and Schott UG 5 filter) and visual inspection.

Homogeneity: Optical homogeneity better than 10 ppm, typical 5-6 ppm in clear aperture of ingot. TWE of 1/10^th wave is easily achievable at thicknesses under 1 inch. 

Additionally, Heraeus has a full line of optical glass for a variety of applications. Esco has Heraeus material in stock if you would like a quote for blanks or finished goods please contact us today.