Overview of Optical glass-ceramics (Zerodur / Clearceram)
Optical glass-ceramics are inorganic amorphous materials characterized by high precision, high transmittance, and excellent mechanical properties. Their primary components include silicates and oxides, and they are produced through a process of high-temperature heating followed by rapid cooling. Glass-ceramics feature particle sizes ranging from micrometers to nanometers, have smooth surfaces, high hardness, resistance to wear, good flexural strength, and exhibit excellent optical properties.Bena Optics primarily processes two brands, Zerodur and Clearceram. These are also the most popular and trusted materials in optics.
Features of Optical glass-ceramics (Zerodur / Clearceram)
High Transmittance: Glass-ceramics exhibit excellent spectral transparency, making them ideal for manufacturing high-precision optical components.
High Precision: With superior surface quality and precision, glass-ceramics ensure more accurate measurements and imaging in precision instruments.
Outstanding Mechanical Properties: Featuring high hardness, high flexural strength, and good wear resistance, glass-ceramics are suitable for use in harsh environments.
Low Dispersion and High Refractive Index: These characteristics make glass-ceramics highly suitable for manufacturing lenses, optical windows, and other optical components, enabling higher quality image capture and processing.
Specifications of Optical glass-ceramics (Zerodur / Clearceram)
Zerodur and Clearceram are the high-performance glass-ceramic material widely used in high-precision optical and scientific instruments.
| Zerodur | Clearceram | |
| Physical Properties | ||
| Density | 2.53 g/cm³ | 2.55 g/cm³ |
| Coefficient of Thermal Expansion | 0 ± 0.02 x 10⁻⁶/K (in the range of 0°C to 50°C) | |
| Young’s Modulus | 90 Gpa | |
| Poisson’s Ratio | 0.24 | |
| Hardness | 600 Knoop (KHN 100) | 650 Knoop (KHN 100) |
| Thermal Properties | ||
| Specific Heat Capacity | 0.82 J/g·K (at 25°C) | |
| Thermal Conductivity | 1.46 W/m·K (at 20°C) | |
| Optical Properties | ||
| Refractive Index | 1.542 (at 587.6 nm) | 1.48 (at 587.6 nm) |
| Transmittance | High transmittance, specific values depend on thickness and wavelength | |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Flexural Strength | 50 Mpa | 60 Mpa |
| Fracture Toughness | 0.8 MPa·m^0.5 | 0.9 MPa·m^0.5 |
Applications for Optical glass-ceramics (Zerodur / Clearceram)
Precision Instruments: Glass-ceramics are essential in high-precision instruments such as high-resolution microscopes, scanning electron microscopes, and nanofabrication tools.
Lasers: Laser mirrors and lenses made from glass-ceramics offer high reflectivity and high transmittance, used to form laser cavities and adjust the angle and shape of laser beams.
Telescopes: Glass-ceramics can be used to manufacture high-precision telescope lenses, providing better imaging quality and magnification.
Electronic Devices: Glass-ceramics are used in the production of screen protectors or displays for liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and other electronic devices. Their surfaces are specially treated to be scratch-resistant and fingerprint-resistant, and they can reduce reflections to improve outdoor visibility.
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