Application Guide
Quartz Glass Applications: A Buyer's Guide to Types, Grades, and Sourcing
Learn how to select and source quartz glass for optics, semiconductor, laboratory, and lighting applications.
## Overview
Quartz glass (fused silica glass) is used across optics, semiconductor manufacturing, laboratory instrumentation, and industrial lighting. This guide helps buyers understand key differences between glass types, verify quality specifications, and prepare effective sourcing inquiries.
## Quartz glass types
- **Transparent quartz glass**: Highest optical quality, excellent UV-to-IR transmission. Used for lenses, wafer carriers, UV lamps.
- **Translucent quartz glass**: Diffuse light transmission. Used for IR heaters, furnace sight tubes.
- **Opaque quartz glass**: Excellent thermal insulation. Used for furnace linings, heater sheaths.
## Applications by industry
- Semiconductor manufacturing: diffusion tubes, wafer carriers, lithography optics
- Optics and photonics: lenses, prisms, windows
- Laboratory: cuvettes, reaction tubes, crucibles
- Lighting: UV lamps, halogen bulbs
## Quality specifications
| Parameter | What to Check |
|-----------|--------------|
| SiO₂ purity | ≥99.95% optical, ≥99.5% industrial |
| OH content | <10 ppm for IR, 200–1,200 ppm for UV |
| Bubble class | A (minimal), B (moderate), C (standard) |
## Sourcing tips
1. Specify the application first
2. Request TDS with each batch
3. Confirm dimensional specs early
4. Plan for qualification samples
## What buyers should clarify
Target application, glass type, purity grade, dimensional specs, and expected volume.