Alpha Quartz Substrates

university wafer substrates

Alpha Quartz Substrates for Film Grown and Implanting Ions

A postdoc requested a quote for the following.

Can you please send me a quote for Alpha quartz substrates for film growth and implanting ions.

Size: 2 cm X 2 cm X 1 mm - 2 mm
Quantity: 20 Pcs

Reference #186860 for specs and pricing.

We Can Do Any Cut for X Y and Z for Alpha Quartz Wafers

A professor at a University's Electronic Materials Engineering department requested a quote for the following.

I am doing some experiments on Quartz and the wafers have been purchased from your company couple of years ago.

They are 25 wafers of Quartz, Single Side Polish, 3" and 350um thick. I need to know the structure (alpha or beta quartz) and cut of the wafers (x, y or z). I couldn't find this information on the website and appreciate if you can help me with it.

Reference #116061 for specs and pricing.

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Polycrystal Alpha Quartz for Experiments

A university PhD requested a quote for the following.

"For an experiment, I need to order the following:

  1. Single crystal C-cut  wafers of alpha-quartz, 50 micron thick
  2. Amorphous silica 50 micron thick
  3. Polycrystal alpha quartz, grain size = sub micron, 50 micron thick Is this (or any subset of this) something your company could provide? 

None of these items need to be polished. Ideally -- I'm looking for small discs or squares of each of these samples, ~5mm diameter, 250 discs of each type. 

But, if it is less expensive to purchase these quartz samples as much larger wafers from you then we can work with that as well.  Also if you only sell these items thicker than 50 microns, that's okay, we can have them lapped." Please let me know if you need any more information to offer these.

Reference #137647 for specs and pricing.

Alpha Quartz Used for Chemical Vapour Deposition

I’m wanting to purchase quartz wafers from your company for a CVD (Chemical Vapour Deposition) system which is used to make Graphene on copper foil. I was hoping to put the wafers on the Quartz boat (where the copper is placed), front and back of the boat so I can analyse the particles on the quartz wafers due to the CVD process at later stage (I want to see if there are any residual contaminants etc.)

Question:

Would you recommend any specific type of quartz wafers for this application? After a few runs I’m going to analyse the quartz wafers by SEM, EDX etc.

Answer:

The single Alpha Quartz crystal will have phase transition @ 572° C ( change to Beta Quartz).

What is the temperature unit below  °C or ° F?

Reference #162264 for specs and pricing.

What Is Alpha Quartz?

Alpha quartz (α-quartz) is the most common crystalline form of silicon dioxide (SiO₂), characterized by its hexagonal crystal structure. It is stable at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, distinguishing it from beta quartz (β-quartz), which forms at higher temperatures (>573°C).

Key Properties of Alpha Quartz:

  • Chemical formula: SiO₂

  • Crystal Structure: Trigonal/hexagonal lattice

  • Thermal Stability: Stable below 573°C, above which it transitions to β-quartz

  • Piezoelectric Effect: Exhibits piezoelectric properties (generates electric charges under mechanical stress)

Relation to Semiconductors:

Alpha quartz itself is an electrical insulator, not a semiconductor, due to its wide bandgap (~9 eV). However, it is highly significant in semiconductor fabrication and applications:

1. Substrate and Dielectric Material:

  • Quartz substrates (often fused silica or crystalline α-quartz) are widely used in semiconductor processing, especially for photolithography masks, optical elements, and high-frequency RF/Microwave devices due to low dielectric loss, high optical transparency, and dimensional stability.

2. Quartz Crystal Oscillators:

  • Alpha quartz is essential for quartz crystal resonators used as oscillators in semiconductor-based electronics. Due to its piezoelectric nature, it precisely controls frequency generation in clocks, microprocessors, radio transmitters, and other timing-critical semiconductor circuits.

3. Thermal and Chemical Stability:

  • Alpha quartz is chemically inert and has minimal thermal expansion, making it ideal for semiconductor processing tools, masks, and equipment components exposed to harsh fabrication conditions (such as plasma etching, deposition, and high-temperature treatments).

4. Deposition Substrate for Thin Films:

  • Alpha quartz substrates are often used as a foundation for depositing thin films or growing novel semiconductor materials (e.g., graphene, carbon nanotubes, III-V semiconductors, and metal-oxide semiconductors). Its smooth surface and inertness make it ideal for precision research.

Alpha Quartz Substrate for Photomask High-purity Alpha Quartz SiO₂ Crystalline Structure Chrome Pattern Layer Circuit Features • Thickness: 0.25" (6.35mm) • Flatness: <0.1μm • Optical Transmission: >90% (UV-Vis) • Thermal Expansion: 5.5 × 10⁻⁷/°C • Surface Quality: 20-10 scratch-dig • Orientation: Z-cut

Summary:

Alpha quartz itself is not a semiconductor but plays a crucial role in semiconductor technology due to its mechanical, thermal, optical, and piezoelectric properties. Its application ranges from manufacturing precision devices like quartz oscillators and photomasks to acting as stable substrates and insulating layers in advanced semiconductor processes.