Machining/Grinding Calcium Fluoride

CiDRA® Precision Services, LLC has years of experience manufacturing micron level tolerance products from Calcium Fluoride. We leverage our in-depth dicing, drilling, milling, grinding, and polishing capability to manufacture the highest quality Calcium Fluoride products. For those applications with exacting optical requirements, CiDRA® Precision Services, LLC has the ability to clean, polish, and apply coatings.

Whether you need prototypes or volume production, CiDRA® Precision Services, LLC is here to help. Please contact us to discuss your applications.

About Calcium Fluoride

Calcium Fluoride (CaF2) is a well know optical material for infrared applications. Calcium Fluoride is soluble in water at a rate of ~15 milligrams mass loss per 100 grams of water at room temperature, but is insoluble in most bases and acids. One manifestation of the water solubility is that Calcium Fluoride will fog after prolonged exposure to humid environments. Even so, Calcium Fluoride can be machined in water-based coolants with diamond tooling. Likewise, polishing with standard optical techniques is effective.

Calcium Fluoride Applications

  • CO2 Laser Windows
  • Spectrometers
  • Medical Lasers

Calcium Fluoride Properties

Units

Calcium Fluoride
Melting Point C 1400 - 1430
Max Use Temperature in Air C 600
Max Use Temperature (Non-oxidizing) C 900 - 1000
Thermal Shock (quenching) C
Thermal Conductivity W/(m K) 9.7
Specific Heat  J/(K kg) 854 - 888
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion 1/C (x10^-6) 18.7 - 18.9
Color Clear
Moh Hardness 4
Knoop Hardness kg/mm^2 158 - 178
Density g/cm^3 3.18
Compressive Strength MPa 84
Tensile Strength MPa 37 - 54
Flexural Strength MPa
Fracture Toughness (KIC) MPa m^1/2 0.5
Young's Modulus GPa 76
Poisson's ratio 0.26
Dielectric Strength kv/cm
Dielectric Constant 6.8
Dielectric Loss Tangent
Resistivity ohm cm
Usable Transmission Range um 0.12 - 8
Refractive Index (**) 1.35 - 1.47
(**) Highly wavelength dependent.
(*) Different suppliers quote vastly different numbers.
The information provided in this table is for room temperature only, and is a compilation of publicly available data.  This information is provided for comparison purposes only, and is not intended to be warrantable.   Further, CiDRA® Precision Services, LLC disclaims any and all liability from errors, inaccuracies, or omissions.

 

Please contact us if you would like to discuss your Calcium Fluoride dicing, drilling, milling, grinding, polishing or any other machining applications.