Quartz Crystal (SiO2)
♦ Quartz Crystal (SiO2) Data Sheet ♦ Quartz Crystal (SiO2) MSDS ♦ Quartz Crystal (SiO2) Guide
Optically, Crystalline Quartz is used extensively as a wave retardation medium. The birefringent properties of Quartz are of use in quarter-wave plates and in polarisers. Quartz should not be processed or used at temperatures greater than 490 °C
Crystalline quartz is also used for electronic filters and resonators. However, Crystran Ltd. does not deal in material for this application.
| Transmission Range : | 0.18 to 3.5 μm (also >40 μm) |
| Refractive Index : | No 1.54421; Ne 1.55333 at 0.6 μm |
| Reflection Loss : | 8.8% at 0.6 μm (2 surfaces) |
| Absorption Coefficient : | n/a |
| Reststrahlen Peak : | n/a |
| dn/dT : | -5.5 x 10-6/°K (para) & -6.5 x 10-6/°K (perp) @ 633nm (3) (4) |
| dn/dμ = 0 : | 1.3 μm |
| Density : | 2.649 g/cc |
| Melting Point : | 1710 °C |
| Thermal Conductivity : | 10.7 (para) 6.2 (perp) W m-1 K-1 at 323 K |
| Thermal Expansion : | 7.1 (para) 13.2 (perp) x 10-6/°C |
| Hardness : | Knoop 741 with 500g indenter |
| Specific Heat Capacity : | 710 J Kg-1 K-1 |
| Dielectric Constant : | 4.34 (para) 4.27 (perp) at 30MHz |
| Youngs Modulus (E) : | 97.2 (para) 76.5 (perp) GPa |
| Shear Modulus (G) : | 31.14 GPa |
| Bulk Modulus (K) : | 36.4 GPa |
| Elastic Coefficients : | C11=87 C12=7 C44=58 C13=13 C14=(-)18 C33=106 (1) (2) |
| Apparent Elastic Limit : | 41MPa (5950psi) |
| Poisson Ratio : | n/a |
| Solubility : | Insoluble in water |
| Molecular Weight : | 60.06 |
| Class/Structure : | Trigonal (hex) P3(2)21 (RH) and P3(1)21 (LH) |
To download this data or our MSDS safety data sheet as a pdf, please click on the links at the top of the page. To expand the transmission graphs, please click on the image.
| µm | No | Ne | µm | No | Ne | µm | No | Ne |
| 0.193 | 1.661 | 1.675 | 0.213 | 1.632 | 1.645 | 0.222 | 1.622 | 1.634 |
| 0.226 | 1.619 | 1.630 | 0.248 | 1.602 | 1.613 | 0.257 | 1.596 | 1.607 |
| 0.280 | 1.585 | 1.596 | 0.308 | 1.576 | 1.586 | 0.325 | 1.571 | 1.581 |
| 0.351 | 1.565 | 1.575 | 0.400 | 1.558 | 1.567 | 0.458 | 1.552 | 1.561 |
| 0.488 | 1.550 | 1.559 | 0.515 | 1.548 | 1.557 | 0.532 | 1.547 | 1.556 |
| 0.590 | 1.544 | 1.553 | 0.633 | 1.543 | 1.552 | 0.670 | 1.541 | 1.551 |
| 0.694 | 1.541 | 1.550 | 0.755 | 1.539 | 1.548 | 0.780 | 1.539 | 1.548 |
| 0.800 | 1.538 | 1.547 | 0.820 | 1.538 | 1.547 | 0.860 | 1.537 | 1.547 |
| 0.980 | 1.535 | 1.546 | 1.064 | 1.534 | 1.543 | 1.320 | 1.531 | 1.539 |
| 1.550 | 1.528 | 1.536 | 2.010 | 1.521 | 1.529 |
Quartz is mined naturally, but more commonly produced synthetically in large, long-faceted crystals. Quartz is positive birefringent. Be careful not to confuse terminology in this material, as "Fused Quartz" is often used to denote the glassy non-crystalline form better known as Silica.
Normal Quartz is Alpha Quartz and normally RH rotating. LH rotating is available on special order. See our guide on distinguishing the types.
At temperatures >490°C, Crystal Quartz starts to revert to glassy state, a process which is complete by 530°C. At this time, as annealling is unlikely, fracture of component is probable.
(1)J.V.Atansoff and P.J.Hart, Phys. Rev. Vol.59, pp 85-96 1941
(2)A.W.Lawson, Phys. Rev. Vol 59, pp.838-839, 1941
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