The key characteristics of the Optical Properties and Mechanical Properties of the sapphire crystal are as below:
Optical Properties Of Sapphire Crystal:
1) Transparency:
Sapphire glass is highly transparent across a wide wavelength range, from ultraviolet (UV) to near-infrared (NIR), making it ideal for applications that require excellent optical clarity and light transmission.
2) Refractive Index:
The refractive index of sapphire glass is relatively high, typically ranging from around 1.74 to 1.77, depending on the wavelength and temperature, which makes it useful for optical applications such as lenses and windows.
3) Birefringence:
Sapphire glass exhibits a small amount of birefringence, which means that it can split light into two polarized rays with different refractive indices, making it suitable for polarization-sensitive optical components
Mechanical Properties Of Sapphire Crystal:
1) Hardness:
Sapphire glass is one of the hardest known materials, with a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale, which is just below that of a diamond. This makes sapphire glass highly scratch-resistant and durable, making it suitable for applications where wear and tear are a concern.
2) Strength:
Sapphire glass has a high tensile strength, typically in the range of 200 to 400 MPa, making it resistant to cracking or breaking under mechanical stress.
3) Thermal Properties:
Sapphire glass has a low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), which means that it has good thermal stability and can withstand a wide temperature range without significant dimensional changes. The thermal conductivity of sapphire glass is also relatively high, making it useful for applications that require good heat dissipation
4) Transparency to Infrared (IR):
Sapphire glass is transparent to a broad range of IR wavelengths, making it suitable for various IR optics applications, such as in infrared windows for thermal imaging systems.
These optical and mechanical properties make sapphire glass a preferred material for a wide range of high-performance applications, including but not limited to optics, watch crystals, sensors, lenses, windows, and substrates for semiconductor and LED industries, where its exceptional properties are highly valued.
