Sapphire

Sapphire is the single-crystal form of aluminium oxide (Al2O3), a mineral known as corundum. It can be found naturally as gemstones or manufactured in large crystal boules for a variety of applications.

Synthetic sapphire for non-gemstone applications

Synthetic sapphire crystals can be grown in cylindrical crystal ingots of large size, up to many inches in diameter. As well as gemstone applications there are many other uses:

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The first ever laser produced was based on the ruby chromium impurity in sapphire. While this laser has few commercial applications, the Ti-sapphire laser is popular due the relatively rare ability to tune the laser wavelength in the red-to-near infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. It can also be easily modelocked. In these lasers, a synthetically produced sapphire crystal with chromium or titanium impurities is irradiated with intense light from a special lamp, or another laser, to create stimulated emission.

Related Topics:
Laser - Chromium - Ti-sapphire laser - Infrared - Electromagnetic spectrum - Modelocked - Crystal - Titanium - Stimulated emission

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Pure sapphire ingots can be sliced into wafers and polished to form transparent crystal slices. Such slices are used as watch faces in high quality watches, as the material's exceptional hardness makes the face almost impossible to scratch.

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Wafers of single crystal sapphire are also used in the semiconductor industry as a substrate for the growth of gallium nitride based blue and green light emitting diodes.

Related Topics:
Semiconductor - Substrate - Gallium nitride - Light emitting diode

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The word sapphire is probably Phoenician in origin, coming to English from the Ancient Greek word ?????????, through the Latin sapphirus. It refers to a "blue gem," either the sapphire proper or possibly lapis lazuli.

Related Topics:
Phoenician - Ancient Greek - Latin - Lapis lazuli

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The major deposits are: Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, Nigeria, Madagascar and Australia.

Related Topics:
Sri Lanka - Thailand - Burma - Cambodia - Nigeria - Madagascar - Australia

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