ZERODUR® uniquely combines the properties of glass and ceramics, making it ideal for high-precision applications in research and development. Developed by Schott AG in 1956, it has since proven itself in use under extreme conditions, such as those prevalent in astronomy. The glass-ceramic material is produced under controlled volume crystallization, and the resulting residual glass and crystalline phase determine the exceptional material behaviour. ZERODUR® is characterized by good material homogeneity, chemical resistance and long-term stability. A special feature is the zero expansion with temperature fluctuations and the resulting hardly fluctuating mechanical properties. These special features make ZERODUR® ideal as a substrate material for optical elements in comet probes, as a mirror substrate for large astronomical telescopes and other applications in precision optics and metrology.
Optical and spectral properties | |
---|---|
Transmission range in µm | 0,95‐1,12
|
Refractive index @1064 nm | 1,82 |
Initial transmission in % | 10-99
|
Initial absorption coefficient in cm-1 | 0,05-3
|
Damage threshold in MW/cm2 | 500-1000
|
Physical properties | |
---|---|
Density in g/cm3 | 4,56
|
Crystal structure | cubic |
Temperaturbereich in °C | -60 ‐ +60
|
Thermal conductivity in W/(m · K) | 12,13
|
Mohs hardness | 8,5 |
Recovery time in µs | 8,5
|
Fluorescence lifetime in µs | 3,4 |