Sapphire Systems has developed and patented advanced sapphire-growth technology which is a significant improvement over conventional methods. Our method allows fast growth while maintaining high quality (clarity, transmission, uniformity of refractive index, dimensional uniformity, and low internal stress). Less post-growth processing is required. Our customers reap the benefits of the lower production and finishing costs, giving them a critical competitive edge.

Sapphire Systems has applied this advance sapphire-growth technology to the growth of sapphire fiber and sapphire plate, becoming a supplier to some of the world's most demanding customers.

Currently we are expanding our plate-growing capability to provide large sapphire plate for aerospace, terrestrial, and marine applications.

Sapphire Systems wins R&D 100 Award!

Rounding the edges on superconductor wires

High-temperature superconducting wires have been developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory using custom fibers supplied by Sapphire Systems Inc. These wires are made by epitaxial growth on Structural Single-Crystal Faceted Fibers (SSIFFs), which are long, flat, single-crystal sapphire fibers with well-defined crystallographic facets...

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Sapphire Systems is located in Bedford Massachusetts, fifteen miles northwest of Boston, Massachusetts. Sapphire Systems has developed and implemented sapphire-growth technology which yields high-quality single-crystal sapphire.

Our patented technology creates sapphire products of near-theoretical clarity.

Our method allows fast growth while maintaining high quality. Post-growth processing is less than that required by conventional near-net-shape growth methods, offering our customers significant savings in finishing costs.

Our patented technology creates sapphire of near-theoretical clarity. Long lengths, custom sizes, specialized crystallographic orientations, and non-circular cross sections are readily produced.

Sapphire Systems in increasing its capacity for producing large sapphire plate.

Sapphire is one of the hardest transparent materials available for large-area windows. It has good transmission over the UV, visible, and near-IR portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Its mechanical strength, stiffness, chemical resistance, and high thermal conductivity make it the material of choice for demanding window applications.

General

• Chemical Formula: Al₂O₃ (aluminum oxide)
• Names: corundum, sapphire, alpha alumina
• Crystal System: trigonal
• Class: hexagonal-scalenohedral

Thermal

• Melting Point: 2053°C (3727°F)
• Maximum-Use Temperature: 2000°C
• Specific Heat: 0.18 cal/g-K (25°C), 0.3 cal/g-K (1000°C)
• Thermal Conductivity: 40 watts/m-K (25°C), 10 watts/m-K (1000°C)
• Thermal Expansion Coefficient (25 - 1000°C): 8.8 x 10^-6 K^-1 parallel to C-axis, 7.9 x 10^-6 K^-1 normal to C-axis

Physical/Mechanical

• Density: 3.97 g/cm³ (25°C)
• Young's Modulus (parallel to C axis): 435 GPa (63 x 10⁶ psi) at 25°C, 386 GPa (56 x 10⁶ psi) at 1000°C
• Shear Modulus: 175 GPa (26 x 10⁶ psi)
• Poisson's Ratio: 0.27 - 0.30
• Flexural Strength: 1035 MPa (150 ksi) parallel to C axis (25°C), 760 MPa (110 ksi) normal to C axis (25°C)
• Compressive Strength: 2 GPa (300 ksi) 25°C
• Hardness: 9 Moh's scale. 1900 Knoop (parallel to C axis), 2200 Knoop (normal to C axis)

Optical

• Uniaxial Negative Refractive Index (parallel to C axis): Ordinary ray N_o = 1.768, Extraordinary ray N_e = 1.760, Birefringence = 0.0087
• Temperature Coefficient of Refractive Index: 13 x 10^-6 K^-1 (visible range)
• Spectral Emittance: 0.1 (1600°C)
• Spectral Absorption Coefficient: 0.1 - 0.2 cm^-1 (25 - 1600°C)

Electrical

• Volume Resistivity (ohm-m): 10¹⁶ at 25°C, 10¹⁰ at 500°C, 10⁷ at 1000°C
• Dielectric Strength: 480,000 volts/cm (1,200 volts/mil)
• Dielectric Constant (25°C, 10³ - 10⁹ Hz): 11.5 parallel to C axis; 9.3 normal to C axis
• Loss Tangent (< 10¹⁰Hz, 25°C): 8.6 x 10^-5 parallel to C axis, 3.0 x 10^-5 normal to C axis
• Magnetic Susceptibility: 0.21 x 10^-6 parallel to C axis; 0.25 x 10^-6 normal to C axis

Chemical

• Weathering Resistance: Unaffected by atmospheric exposure
• Sea Water Resistance: Unaffected by marine exposure
• Biological Resistance: Unaffected by in-vivo exposure; non-thrombogenic; non-reactive with body fluids

Sapphire Systems is located on Route 128, outside of Boston, MA.

Sapphire Systems Inc.
19A Crosby Drive #10
Bedford, MA 01730
781-275-6369
info@sapphsys.com