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Calcium Fluoride (CaF2)

Calcium Fluoride is a cubic single crystal which has a good transmittance from 170nm to 8000nm. The crystal is resistance to water, and organic chemicals and many acids, including HF. But it will slowly dissolve in nitric acid and it is sensitive to thermal shock. It can be machined with standard diamond tools and have a good polishing quality using either aluminum oxide or diamond based polishing papers. Calcium Fluoride, like Magnesium Fluoride, is a good material for use with excimer lasers. It can be manufactured into windows, lenses and prisms.

 

 

                              Figure 1: External transmittance curve for 7 mm Calcium Fluoride crystal

 

  Crystal Structure Cubic
 
  Lattice Constant (Å) 5.462
 
  Transparency Range (nm) 170~8000
 
  Constant of Dispersion (dn/dT)
(/K at 0°C and 632.8nm )
dn/dT=-1.10X10-5
 
  Melting Point (°C)
1423
 
  Thermal Conductivity (W/(m K) at 273 K):
10.0
 
  Heat Capacity: (J/gK at 276 K):
0.837
 
  Linear Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (0°C)  ( /K)
||C: 18.3X10-6
 
  Refractive Indices n=1.43259 at 650nm
  n=1.4289 at 1000nm
 
  Density (g/cm3) 3.18
 
  Knoop Hardness 158.3  
  Young's Modulus (GPa) 75.8  
  Shear Modulus (GPa) 33.76  
  Poisson Ratio 0.28  
  Table 1:Calcium Fluoride Properties
 

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