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What is sapphire glass?

First, let’s clarify one point: sapphire cannot properly be referred to as glass. Glass refers to a transparent, molten substance based on silicon dioxide that solidifies upon cooling. To meet various requirements, different elements are added internally, but the primary component remains silicon dioxide. Sapphire, on the other hand, is a crystalline material—a single-crystal structure composed of aluminum oxide. Because sapphire becomes transparent after polishing, some people also refer to it as sapphire glass.

Sapphire glass—contrary to our initial understanding—is not a naturally occurring sapphire. Rather, it’s a synthetic material produced in laboratories that boasts the same chemical composition and physical properties as natural sapphire. As a result, its price has dropped significantly, no longer commanding the exorbitant costs once associated with rare collectibles. Today, sapphire glass is increasingly being incorporated into a wide array of applications. It exhibits excellent thermal properties, outstanding electrical and dielectric characteristics, and exceptional resistance to chemical corrosion. Moreover, it withstands high temperatures, conducts heat efficiently, possesses high hardness, is transparent to infrared light, and demonstrates remarkable chemical stability. For these reasons, sapphire glass is frequently used as a substitute for other optical materials in the fabrication of optical components and infrared-transparent optical windows. It finds extensive use in military equipment operating in the infrared and far-infrared spectrums—for instance, in night-vision infrared and far-infrared sights, night-vision cameras, and other instruments, as well as in satellite and space technology instrumentation. Additionally, it serves as window material for high-power lasers, various optical prisms, optical windows, UV and IR windows and lenses, and observation ports for low-temperature experiments. It is also widely employed in instrumentation for marine, aerospace, and aviation applications. Furthermore, this material is commonly found in the screens of familiar mobile phones and in the watch faces of the timepieces we wear.

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Champion Optics is a high-tech enterprise integrating the research and development of optical thin films, the development of new spectral instruments, and spectral image processing and application.

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