Applications:

Optically, crystalline quartz is used extensively as a wave retardation medium, using the birefringent properties for use in quarter-wave plates and in polarizers.

 

Properties:

Optical

Transmission Range 0.4 to 3 microns
Refractive Index (table below) 1.54421 (o) 1.55333 (e) at 0.6 microns
Reflection Loss 8.8% at 0.6 microns (2 surfaces)
Absorption Coefficient
 
Restrahlen Peak
 
dN/dT +5 x 10-6/°C
dN/dµ = 0 1.3 microns

Physical

Density 2.649 gm/cc
Melting Point 1467°C
Thermal Conductivity 10.7 (para) 6.2 (perp) Wm-1K-1 at 323K
Thermal Expansion 7.1 (para) 13.2 (perp) x 10-6/°C
Hardness Knoop 741 with 500g indenter
Specific Heat Capacity 710 J Kgm-1K-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
Apparent Elastic Limit
 
Poisson Ratio
 

Chemical

Solubility Insoluble in water
Molecular Weight 60.06
Class/Structure Trigonal (hex)

Refractive Index

µm No Ne
0.193 1.66091 1.67455
0.213 1.63224 1.64452
0.222 1.62238 1.63427
0.226 1.61859 1.63033
0.244 1.60439 1.61562
0.248 1.60175 1.61289
0.257 1.5962 1.60714
0.266 1.59164 1.60242
0.280 1.58533 1.59589
 
µm No Ne
0.308 1.57556 1.58577
0.325 1.57097 1.58102
0.337 1.56817 1.57812
0.351 1.56533 1.57518
0.355 1.56463 1.57446
0.400 1.55772 1.5673
0.442 1.55324 1.56266
0.458 1.55181 1.56119
0.488 1.54955 1.55885
 
µm No Ne
0.515 1.54787 1.55711
0.532 1.5469 1.5561
0.590 1.54421 1.55333
0.633 1.54264 1.55171
0.670 1.54148 1.55051
0.694 1.5408 1.54981
0.755 1.53932 1.54827
0.780 1.53878 1.54771
0.800 1.53837 1.54729
 
µm No Ne
0.820 1.53798 1.54688
0.860 1.53724 1.54612
0.980 1.53531 1.54409
1.064 1.5341 1.54282
1.320 1.53068 1.53922
1.550 1.52761 1.53596
2.010 1.52073 1.52863

 

NOTES: 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.

Data provided is extracted from our technical handbook of materials. While every attempt has been made to verify the source of the information, we accept no responsibility for accuracy of data.