Can You Open a Sapphire Reserve Again After Closing It

Gem variety of corundum

Sapphire
The 423-carat (85 m) blue Logan Sapphire
General
Category	Oxide mineral
Formula (repeating unit)	Aluminium oxide, Al2O3
Crystal system	Trigonal
Crystal class	Hexagonal scalenohedral (3m) H-M symbol: (3ii/k)
Space grouping	R 3c
Identification
Color	Typically blue, but varies
Crystal addiction	As crystals, massive and granular
Twinning	Both growth twins (in various orientations) and polysynthetic glide twinning on the rhombohedron [1011
Cleavage	Poor
Fracture	Conchoidal, splintery
Mohs scale hardness	9.0
Luster	Vitreous
Streak	Colorless
Diaphaneity	Transparent to well-nigh opaque
Specific gravity	3.98~4.06
Optical backdrop	Abbe number 72.2
Refractive index	nω=i.768–one.772 due northε=ane.760–ane.763, Birefringence 0.008
Pleochroism	Stiff
Melting point	2,030–2,050 °C
Fusibility	Infusible
Solubility	Insoluble
Other characteristics	Coefficient of thermal expansion (5.0–6.6)×x−6/K[ citation needed ] relative permittivity at 20 °C ε = 8.9–11.1 (anisotropic)[1]

Main sapphire producing countries

Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a diversity of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminium oxide (α-Al_twoO₃ ) with trace amounts of elements such every bit iron, titanium, chromium, vanadium, or magnesium. The name sapphire is derived from the Latin "saphirus" and the Greek "sapheiros", both of which mean blueish. It is typically blue, but natural "fancy" sapphires likewise occur in yellow, imperial, orange, and green colors; "parti sapphires" prove two or more colors. Ruddy corundum stones likewise occur, but are chosen rubies not sapphires.^[2] Pinkish-colored corundum may be classified either every bit carmine or sapphire depending on locale. Commonly, natural sapphires are cut and polished into gemstones and worn in jewelry. They besides may exist created synthetically in laboratories for industrial or decorative purposes in big crystal boules. Because of the remarkable hardness of sapphires – nine on the Mohs scale (the 3rd hardest mineral, after diamond at 10 and moissanite at 9.five) – sapphires are also used in some non-ornamental applications, such as infrared optical components, high-durability windows, wristwatch crystals and movement bearings, and very thin electronic wafers, which are used as the insulating substrates of special-purpose solid-state electronics such equally integrated circuits and GaN-based blue LEDs. Sapphire is the birthstone for September and the precious stone of the 45th ceremony. A sapphire jubilee occurs subsequently 65 years.^[iii]

Natural sapphires [edit]

An uncut, crude xanthous sapphire found at the Spokane Sapphire Mine nigh Helena, Montana

Sapphire is i of the 2 jewel-varieties of corundum, the other being ruby (defined every bit corundum in a shade of carmine). Although blue is the best-known sapphire color, they occur in other colors, including gray and black, and also can exist colorless. A pinkish orange variety of sapphire is called padparadscha.

Significant sapphire deposits are found in Australia, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Cameroon, China (Shandong), Colombia, Federal democratic republic of ethiopia, India (Kashmir), Kenya, Laos, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Nigeria, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, United states of america (Montana) and Vietnam.^{[4] : 431–707} Sapphire and rubies are often plant in the same geographical settings, but they mostly have unlike geological formations. For example, both reddish and sapphire are found in Myanmar'southward Mogok Stone Tract, but the rubies grade in marble, while the sapphire forms in granitic pegmatites or corundum syenites.^{[4] : 403–429}

Every sapphire mine produces a wide range of quality, and origin is not a guarantee of quality. For sapphire, Kashmir receives the highest premium, although Burma, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar too produce large quantities of fine quality gems.^[2]

The cost of natural sapphires varies depending on their color, clarity, size, cut, and overall quality. Sapphires that are completely untreated are worth far more than than those that have been treated. Geographical origin also has a major impact on cost. For most gems of i carat or more, an independent written report from a respected laboratory such as GIA, Lotus Gemology, or SSEF, is often required by buyers before they will make a buy.^[five]

Blueish sapphire [edit]

Teardrop-shaped blue sapphire

Gemstone colour can be described in terms of hue, saturation, and tone. Hue is normally understood as the "color" of the gemstone. Saturation refers to the vividness or brightness of the hue, and tone is the lightness to darkness of the hue.^{[four] : 333–401} Blue sapphire exists in various mixtures of its primary (blue) and secondary hues, diverse tonal levels (shades) and at various levels of saturation (vividness).

Blue sapphires are evaluated based upon the purity of their bluish hue. Violet, and green are the nigh common secondary hues constitute in bluish sapphires.^{[four] : 333–401} The highest prices are paid for gems that are pure blue and of vivid saturation. Gems that are of lower saturation, or are as well dark or besides calorie-free in tone are of less value. However, colour preferences are a personal sense of taste, like a flavour of ice cream.^{[four] : 333–401}

The 423-carat (84.half dozen g) Logan sapphire in the National Museum of Natural History, in Washington, D.C., is one of the largest faceted gem-quality blue sapphires in existence.

Dark blue sapphire, probably of Australian origin, showing the brilliant surface luster typical of faceted corundum gemstones.

The 422.66-ct Siren of Serendip^[six] in the Houston Museum of Natural Science is another stunning example of a Sri Lankan sapphire on public display.

Sapphires of other colors [edit]

Sapphires in colors other than blue are called "fancy" or "parti colored" sapphires.^[7]

Fancy sapphires are often found in xanthous, orangish, dark-green, brown, purple and violet hues.^[eight]

Particolored sapphires or bi-color sapphires are those stones which exhibit two or more colors inside a single stone.^[8] The desirability of particolored or bi-colour sapphires is normally judged based on the zoning or location of their colors, the colors' saturation, and the dissimilarity of their colors.^[9] Commonwealth of australia is the largest source of particolored sapphires; they are not commonly used in mainstream jewelry and remain relatively unknown. Particolored sapphires cannot be created synthetically and only occur naturally.^[9] The vast bulk of particolored sapphires occur naturally, but information technology is possible to replicate the appearance of a particolored sapphire in a synthetic sapphire.

Colorless sapphires have historically been used as diamond substitutes in jewelry.^[eight]

Pink sapphires [edit]

Pink sapphires occur in shades from light to dark pinkish, and deepen in color equally the quantity of chromium increases. The deeper the pink color, the higher their monetary value. In the Usa, a minimum colour saturation must be met to be called a ruby-red, otherwise the rock is referred to equally a pinkish sapphire.^[x]

Padparadscha [edit]

Padparadscha is a frail, lite to medium toned, pink-orange to orange-pink hued corundum, originally establish in Sri Lanka,^[xi] but as well establish in deposits in Vietnam and parts of Eastward Africa. Padparadscha sapphires are rare; the rarest of all is the totally natural variety, with no sign of artificial treatment.^[12]

The proper noun is derived from the Sanskrit "padma ranga" (padma = lotus; ranga = colour), a color akin to the lotus bloom (Nelumbo nucifera).^[13]

Among the fancy (not-blue) sapphires, natural padparadscha fetch the highest prices. Since 2001, more than sapphires of this colour have appeared on the market equally a result of bogus lattice diffusion of beryllium.^[14]

Star sapphire [edit]

68 carat star sapphire in round mogul cut - men's band version - 750 yellow gold - Russian goldsmith - handmade effectually 1990

A star sapphire is a type of sapphire that exhibits a star-like phenomenon known as asterism; ruby-red stones are known as "star rubies". Star sapphires contain intersecting needle-like inclusions following the underlying crystal structure that causes the advent of a half dozen-rayed "star"-shaped blueprint when viewed with a single overhead calorie-free source. The inclusion is often the mineral rutile, a mineral composed primarily of titanium dioxide.^[15] The stones are cut en cabochon, typically with the center of the star near the acme of the dome. Occasionally, twelve-rayed stars are found, typically because two dissimilar sets of inclusions are establish inside the same stone, such equally a combination of fine needles of rutile with small platelets of hematite; the first results in a whitish star and the second results in a golden-colored star. During crystallization, the two types of inclusions become preferentially oriented in unlike directions within the crystal, thereby forming 2 vi-rayed stars that are superimposed upon each other to form a twelve-rayed star.^[16] Misshapen stars or 12-rayed stars may likewise grade every bit a result of twinning. The inclusions tin alternatively produce a cat'south heart result if the girdle plane of the cabochon is oriented parallel to the crystal'south c-axis rather than perpendicular to information technology. To become a cat's eye, the planes of exsolved inclusions must exist extremely compatible and tightly packed. If the dome is oriented in between these two directions, an off-center star will be visible, offset away from the high point of the dome.^{[4] : 101}

At 1404.49 carats, The Star of Adam is the largest known blue star sapphire. The precious stone was mined in the metropolis of Ratnapura, southern Sri Lanka.^[17] The Blackness Star of Queensland, the 2nd largest star sapphire in the earth, weighs 733 carats.^[18] The Star of India mined in Sri Lanka and weighing 563.iv carats is thought to exist the tertiary-largest star sapphire, and is currently on brandish at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The 182-carat Star of Bombay, mined in Sri Lanka and located in the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., is some other case of a large blue star sapphire. The value of a star sapphire depends not merely on the weight of the stone, but also the body color, visibility, and intensity of the asterism. The color of the stone has more affect on the value than the visibility of the star. Since more transparent stones tend to have amend colors, the most expensive star stones are semi-transparent "glass body" stones with vivid colors.^{[4] : 348–350}

On 28 July 2021, the world's largest cluster of star sapphires, weighing 510 kg, was unearthed from Ratnapura, Sri Lanka. This star sapphire cluster was named "Serendipity Sapphire".^{[nineteen] [20]}

Large rubies and sapphires [edit]

Big rubies and sapphires of poor transparency are often used with doubtable appraisals that vastly enlarge their value. This was the case of the "Life and Pride of America Star Sapphire". Circa 1985, Roy Whetstine claimed to accept bought the 1905-ct stone for $x at the Tucson jewel prove, but a reporter discovered that L.A. Ward of Fallbrook, CA, who appraised it at the price of $1200/ct, had appraised another stone of the exact same weight several years earlier Whetstine claimed to accept found it.^[21]

Bangkok-based Lotus Gemology maintains an updated list of world auction records of crimson, sapphire, and spinel. As of Nov 2019, no sapphire has ever sold at sale for more than $17,295,796.^[22]

Color-modify sapphire [edit]

A rare multifariousness of natural sapphire, known as colour-change sapphire, exhibits different colors in different light. Colour change sapphires are blue in outdoor light and majestic nether incandescent indoor light, or light-green to grayness-green in daylight and pink to reddish-violet in incandescent low-cal. Color change sapphires come from a variety of locations, including Madagascar, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Tanzania. 2 types exist. The starting time features the chromium chromophore that creates the red color of ruby, combined with the iron + titanium chromophore that produces the blue color in sapphire. A rarer type, which comes from the Mogok area of Myanmar, features a vanadium chromophore, the same every bit is used in Verneuil constructed color-change sapphire.

Virtually all gemstones that show the "alexandrite effect" (color change; a.k.a. 'metamerism') evidence like assimilation/transmission features in the visible spectrum. This is an assimilation band in the yellow (~590 nm), along with valleys of manual in the blue-green and red. Thus the color 1 sees depends on the spectral composition of the calorie-free source. Daylight is relatively counterbalanced in its spectral power distribution (SPD) and since the homo eye is most sensitive to green light, the balance is tipped to the green side. However incandescent light (including candle light) is heavily tilted to the red stop of the spectrum, thus tipping the remainder to red.^[23]

Color-alter sapphires colored by the Cr + Fe/Ti chromophores generally change from blueish or violetish blue to violet or imperial. Those colored by the V chromophore tin show a more pronounced change, moving from blue-greenish to purple.

Sure synthetic color-modify sapphires have a similar color modify to the natural gemstone alexandrite and they are sometimes marketed as "alexandrium" or "synthetic alexandrite". However, the latter term is a misnomer: constructed color-alter sapphires are, technically, not synthetic alexandrites simply rather alexandrite simulants. This is because genuine alexandrite is a multifariousness of chrysoberyl: not sapphire, but an entirely different mineral.^[24]

Cause of color [edit]

Crystal structure of sapphire

Sapphire ring made circa 1940

Rubies are corundum with a dominant red body color. This is generally caused by traces of chromium (Cr³⁺) substituting for the (Alⁱⁱⁱ⁺) ion in the corundum construction. The color can be modified by both iron and trapped hole color centers.^[25]

Dissimilar localized ("intra-atomic") absorption of light which causes color for chromium and vanadium impurities, blue color in sapphires comes from intervalence charge transfer, which is the transfer of an electron from 1 transition-metallic ion to some other via the conduction or valence band. The fe tin take the form Fe²⁺ or Iron³⁺, while titanium generally takes the class Ti^iv+. If Atomic number 26²⁺ and Ti⁴⁺ ions are substituted for Al³⁺, localized areas of charge imbalance are created. An electron transfer from Fe²⁺ and Ti^four+ tin can cause a change in the valence state of both. Because of the valence change there is a specific change in free energy for the electron, and electromagnetic energy is absorbed. The wavelength of the energy absorbed corresponds to yellow lite. When this low-cal is subtracted from incident white calorie-free, the complementary color blue results. Sometimes when atomic spacing is different in unlike directions there is resulting blue-greenish dichroism.

Purple sapphires incorporate trace amounts of chromium and iron plus titanium and come in a variety of shades. Corundum that contains extremely low levels of chromophores is near colorless. Completely colorless corundum generally does not exist in nature. If trace amounts of iron are present, a very pale yellow to dark-green color may be seen. However, if both titanium and atomic number 26 impurities are nowadays together, and in the correct valence states, the upshot is a blue color.^[26]

Intervalence charge transfer is a procedure that produces a strong colored advent at a low percentage of impurity. While at to the lowest degree 1% chromium must be present in corundum before the deep red ruby color is seen, sapphire blueish is apparent with the presence of just 0.01% of titanium and iron.

The most complete description of the causes of color in corundum extant tin be found in Chapter four of Cherry-red & Sapphire: A Gemologist's Guide (chapter authored by John Emmett, Emily Dubinsky and Richard Hughes).^{[4] : 107–164}

Treatments [edit]

Sapphires tin be treated by several methods to enhance and ameliorate their clarity and colour.^{[4] : 197–247} It is common practice to heat natural sapphires to improve or enhance their appearance. This is done by heating the sapphires in furnaces to temperatures between 800 and 1,800 °C (1,470 and iii,270 °F) for several hours, or even weeks at a time. Unlike atmospheres may be used. Upon heating, the stone becomes bluer in color, but loses some of the rutile inclusions (silk). When high temperatures (1400 °C+) are used, exsolved rutile silk is dissolved and it becomes articulate under magnification. The titanium from the rutile enters solid solution and thus creates with iron the blue color ^[27] The inclusions in natural stones are hands seen with a jeweler'due south loupe. Evidence of sapphire and other gemstones being subjected to heating goes back at least to Roman times.^[28] Un-heated natural stones are somewhat rare and will often be sold accompanied by a certificate from an independent gemological laboratory attesting to "no bear witness of rut handling".

Yogo sapphires do not need rut treating because their cornflower blue color is attractive out of the ground; they are by and large free of inclusions, and have high uniform clarity.^[29] When Intergem Limited began marketing the Yogo in the 1980s equally the world'southward simply guaranteed untreated sapphire, heat treatment was non commonly disclosed; past the late 1980s, heat treatment became a major effect.^[thirty] At that time, much of all the world's sapphires were being heated to enhance their natural colour.^[31] Intergem'due south marketing of guaranteed untreated Yogos set up them against many in the gem manufacture. This issue appeared equally a front-page story in the Wall Street Journal on 29 Baronial 1984 in an article by Pecker Richards, Carats and Schticks: Sapphire Marketer Upsets The Gem Industry.^[31] All the same, the biggest problem the Yogo mine faced was not competition from heated sapphires, but the fact that the Yogo stones could never produce quantities of sapphire above one carat after faceting. As a event, it has remained a niche product, with a market that largely exists in the US.^{[4] : 676–695}

Lattice ('majority') diffusion treatments are used to add together impurities to the sapphire to enhance colour. This process was originally developed and patented past Linde Air division of Union Carbide and involved diffusing titanium into synthetic sapphire to even out the blue color.^[32] It was afterwards applied to natural sapphire. Today, titanium diffusion often uses a synthetic colorless sapphire base of operations. The color layer created by titanium diffusion is extremely sparse (less than 0.v mm). Thus repolishing tin can and does produce slight to significant loss of color. Chromium improvidence has been attempted, but was abandoned due to the slow improvidence rates of chromium in corundum.

In the year 2000, beryllium diffused "padparadscha" colored sapphires entered the marketplace. Typically beryllium is diffused into a sapphire nether very high heat, merely beneath the melting point of the sapphire. Initially (c. 2000) orangish sapphires were created, although now the process has been advanced and many colors of sapphire are often treated with beryllium. Due to the minor size of the beryllium ion, the color penetration is far greater than with titanium diffusion. In some cases, it may penetrate the entire stone. Beryllium-diffused orange sapphires may be difficult to detect, requiring advanced chemic assay by gemological labs (east.thousand., Gübelin, SSEF, GIA, American Gemological Laboratories (AGL), Lotus Gemology.^[5]

According to United States Federal Merchandise Commission guidelines, disclosure is required of any mode of enhancement that has a meaning effect on the gem's value.^[33]

There are several means of treating sapphire. Heat-treatment in a reducing or oxidizing temper (but without the use of any other added impurities) is ordinarily used to improve the color of sapphires, and this procedure is sometimes known as "heating only" in the gem trade. In contrast, however, heat treatment combined with the deliberate addition of certain specific impurities (e.g. glucinium, titanium, iron, chromium or nickel, which are absorbed into the crystal structure of the sapphire) is besides commonly performed, and this procedure can be known every bit "diffusion" in the gem trade. Withal, despite what the terms "heating only" and "diffusion" might suggest, both of these categories of treatment actually involve diffusion processes.^[34]

The most complete description of corundum treatments extant can be institute in Chapter 6 of Ruby & Sapphire: A Gemologist's Guide (chapter authored by John Emmett, Richard Hughes and Troy R. Douthit).^{[four] : 197–247}

Mining [edit]

Sapphires are mined from alluvial deposits or from primary hush-hush workings. Commercial mining locations for sapphire and reddish include (but are not limited to) the following countries: Afghanistan, Australia, Myanmar/Burma, Cambodia, China, Colombia, India, Kenya, Laos, Madagascar, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, United States, and Vietnam. Sapphires from different geographic locations may have different appearances or chemical-impurity concentrations, and tend to contain unlike types of microscopic inclusions. Considering of this, sapphires can be divided into 3 broad categories: classic metamorphic, non-archetype metamorphic or magmatic, and classic magmatic.^[35]

Sapphires from sure locations, or of certain categories, may be more commercially appealing than others,^[36] particularly classic metamorphic sapphires from Kashmir, Burma, or Sri Lanka that have not been subjected to estrus-treatment.^{[37] [38]}

The Logan sapphire, the Star of Republic of india, The Star of Adam and the Star of Mumbai originate from Sri Lankan mines. Madagascar is the world leader in sapphire product (every bit of 2007) specifically its deposits in and around the town of Ilakaka.^[39] Prior to the opening of the Ilakaka mines, Commonwealth of australia was the largest producer of sapphires (such as in 1987).^[40] In 1991 a new source of sapphires was discovered in Andranondambo, southern Madagascar. That surface area has been exploited for its sapphires started in 1993, but it was practically abandoned just a few years subsequently—because of the difficulties in recovering sapphires in their bedrock.^[41]

In North America, sapphires have been mined generally from deposits in Montana: fancies forth the Missouri River about Helena, Montana, Dry Cottonwood Creek near Deer Lodge, Montana, and Stone Creek near Philipsburg, Montana. Fine bluish Yogo sapphires are establish at Yogo Gulch west of Lewistown, Montana.^[30] A few gem-class sapphires and rubies take besides been constitute in the area of Franklin, North Carolina.^[42]

The sapphire deposits of Kashmir are well known in the gem industry, although their peak production took identify in a relatively short period at the cease of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.^{[iv] : 463–482} They take a superior brilliant blue hue, coupled with a mysterious and almost sleepy quality, described past some gem enthusiasts every bit 'bluish velvet". Kashmir-origin contributes meaningfully to the value of a sapphire, and about corundum of Kashmir origin can be readily identified by its characteristic silky advent and exceptional hue.^{[43] [44]} The unique blue appears lustrous under any kind of low-cal, different non-Kashmir sapphires which may announced purplish or grayish in comparison.^[45] Sotheby'due south has been in the forefront overseeing record-breaking sales of Kashmir sapphires worldwide. In October 2014, Sotheby's Hong Kong achieved sequent per-carat price records for Kashmir sapphires – first with the 12.00 carat Cartier sapphire ring at U.s.$193,975 per carat, and so with a 17.sixteen carat sapphire at U.s.a.$236,404, and again in June 2015 when the per-carat sale record was set at US$240,205.^[46] At nowadays, the world record toll-per-carat for sapphire at sale is held by a sapphire from Kashmir in a ring, which sold in October 2015 for approximately US$242,000 per carat (HK$52,280,000 in total, including buyer's premium, or more than Us$6.74 million).^[46]

Synthetic sapphire [edit]

In 1902, the French chemist Auguste Verneuil announced a procedure for producing synthetic ruby crystals.^[47] In the flame-fusion (Verneuil procedure), fine alumina powder is added to an oxyhydrogen flame, and this is directed downwardly confronting a ceramic pedestal.^[48] Post-obit the successful synthesis of ruby, Verneuil focussed his efforts on sapphire. Synthesis of blue sapphire came in 1909, after chemical analyses of sapphire suggested to Verneuil that iron and titanium were the crusade of the bluish color. Verneuil patented the process of producing synthetic blue sapphire in 1911.^{[49] [iv] : 254–255}

The cardinal to the process is that the alumina powder does not melt equally it falls through the flame. Instead it forms a sinter cone on the pedestal. When the tip of that cone reaches the hottest function of the flame, the tip melts. Thus the crystal growth is started from a tiny bespeak, ensuring minimal strain.

Next, more oxygen is added to the flame, causing it to fire slightly hotter. This expands the growing crystal laterally. At the same time, the pedestal is lowered at the same rate that the crystal grows vertically. The alumina in the flame is slowly deposited, creating a teardrop shaped "boule" of sapphire material. This step is continued until the desired size is reached, the flame is shut off and the crystal cools. The now elongated crystal contains a lot of strain due to the high thermal gradient between the flame and surrounding air. To release this strain, the at present finger-shaped crystal will exist tapped with a chisel to divide information technology into two halves.^{[4] : 249–309}

Due to the vertical layered growth of the crystal and the curved upper growth surface (which starts from a drop), the crystals will display curved growth lines following the top surface of the boule. This is in dissimilarity to natural corundum crystals, which characteristic angular growth lines expanding from a single point and following the planar crystal faces.^[l]

Dopants [edit]

Chemical dopants can be added to create artificial versions of the cerise, and all the other natural colors of sapphire, and in addition, other colors never seen in geological samples. Artificial sapphire material is identical to natural sapphire, except it can exist fabricated without the flaws that are found in natural stones. The disadvantage of the Verneuil process is that the grown crystals have high internal strains. Many methods of manufacturing sapphire today are variations of the Czochralski process, which was invented in 1916 by Polish chemist January Czochralski.^[51] In this procedure, a tiny sapphire seed crystal is dipped into a crucible made of the precious metal iridium or molybdenum,^[52] containing molten alumina, and so slowly withdrawn upwards at a rate of 1 to 100 mm per hour. The alumina crystallizes on the stop, creating long carrot-shaped boules of large size up to 200 kg in mass.^[53]

Other growth methods [edit]

Synthetic sapphire is likewise produced industrially from agglomerated aluminum oxide, sintered and fused (such equally by hot isostatic pressing) in an inert temper, yielding a transparent just slightly porous polycrystalline product.^[54]

In 2003, the globe's production of synthetic sapphire was 250 tons (1.25 × 10⁹ carats), mostly by the United States and Russian federation.^{[55] [56]} The availability of cheap constructed sapphire unlocked many industrial uses for this unique material.

Applications [edit]

Windows [edit]

Constructed sapphire—sometimes referred to equally sapphire glass—is ordinarily used as a window material, considering it is both highly transparent to wavelengths of low-cal between 150 nm (UV) and 5500 nm (IR) (the visible spectrum extends about 380 nm to 750 nm^[57]), and extraordinarily scratch-resistant.^{[58] [59]}

The key benefits of sapphire windows are:

• Very broad optical transmission ring from UV to near-infrared, (0.15–five.v µm)
• Significantly stronger than other optical materials or standard glass windows
• Highly resistant to scratching and abrasion (ix on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness scale, the tertiary hardest natural substance next to moissanite and diamonds)^[43]
• Extremely high melting temperature (2030 °C)

Unmarried crystal sapphire boule grown by the Kyropoulos method. Approximately 200 millimetres (viii in) in diameter, weighing approximately thirty kg (66 lb). (A second boule is visible in the background.)

Some sapphire-glass windows are fabricated from pure sapphire boules that have been grown in a specific crystal orientation, typically along the optical axis, the c-centrality, for minimum birefringence for the application.^{[60] [61]}

The boules are sliced up into the desired window thickness and finally polished to the desired surface stop. Sapphire optical windows can be polished to a wide range of surface finishes due to its crystal construction and its hardness. The surface finishes of optical windows are commonly called out by the scratch-dig specifications in accordance with the globally adopted MIL-O-13830 specification.^{[ clarification needed ]}

The sapphire windows are used in both high pressure and vacuum chambers for spectroscopy, crystals in diverse watches, and windows in grocery shop barcode scanners since the material'due south exceptional hardness and toughness makes it very resistant to scratching.^[55]

In 2014 Apple tree consumed "one-fourth of the earth's supply of sapphire to cover the iPhone's photographic camera lens and fingerprint reader."^[62]

Several attempts have been made to brand sapphire screens for smartphones viable. Apple contracted GT Advanced Technologies, Inc.to manufacture sapphire screens for iPhones, the venture failed resulting in the defalcation of GTAT.^[63] The Kyocera Brigadier was the first production smartphone to feature a sapphire screen.^[64]

It is used for stop windows on some high-powered laser tubes equally its wide-band transparency and thermal conductivity allow information technology to handle very high power densities in the infrared or UV spectrum without degrading due to heating.

Forth with zirconia and aluminum oxynitride, synthetic sapphire is used for shatter resistant windows in armored vehicles and various military trunk armor suits, in association with composites.

One type of xenon arc lamp – originally chosen the "Cermax" and now known generically as the "ceramic body xenon lamp" – uses sapphire crystal output windows. This product tolerates higher thermal loads and thus higher output powers when compared with conventional Xe lamps with pure silica window.^{[65] [66]}

Equally substrate for semiconducting circuits [edit]

Thin sapphire wafers were the starting time successful employ of an insulating substrate upon which to eolith silicon to make the integrated circuits known equally silicon on sapphire or "SOS"; now other substrates can likewise be used for the class of circuits known more generally as silicon on insulator. Too its excellent electrical insulating backdrop, sapphire has high thermal electrical conductivity. CMOS chips on sapphire are especially useful for loftier-power radio-frequency (RF) applications such as those found in cellular telephones, public-safety band radios, and satellite advice systems. "SOS" also allows for the monolithic integration of both digital and analog circuitry all on i IC scrap, and the construction of extremely low power circuits.

In i process, later on single crystal sapphire boules are grown, they are core-drilled into cylindrical rods, and wafers are so sliced from these cores.^{[ citation needed ]}

Wafers of unmarried-crystal sapphire are as well used in the semiconductor manufacture as substrates for the growth of devices based on gallium nitride (GaN). The employ of sapphire significantly reduces the cost, because it has near one-seventh the price of germanium. Gallium nitride on sapphire is commonly used in blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs).^[67]

In lasers [edit]

Ti-Sapphire light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation in operation at CAS, Prague

The first laser was made in 1960 by Theodore Maiman with a rod of synthetic ruby. Titanium-sapphire lasers are popular due to their relatively rare capacity to be tuned to various wavelengths in the red and nearly-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. They can also exist easily mode-locked. 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.

In endoprostheses [edit]

Monocrystalline sapphire is adequately biocompatible and the exceptionally depression wear of sapphire–metal pairs has led to the introduction (in Ukraine) of sapphire monocrystals for hip articulation endoprostheses.^[68]

Historical and cultural references [edit]

• Etymologically, the English language give-and-take "sapphire" derives from French saphir, from Latin sapphirus, sappirus from Greek σαπφειρος (sappheiros) from Hebrew סַפִּיר (sappir). Some linguists advise that the Semitic (e.g. Hebrew) terms derive from Sanskrit Sanipriya (शनिप्रिय), from "sani" (शनि) meaning "Saturn" and "priyah" (प्रिय), dear, i.e. literally "sacred to Saturn".^[69]
• A traditional Hindu belief holds that the sapphire causes the planet Saturn (Shani) to exist favorable to the wearer.^[70]
• The Greek term for sapphire quite likely was instead used to refer to lapis lazuli.^[69]
• During the Medieval Ages, European lapidaries came to refer to blueish corundum crystal by "sapphire", a derivative of the Latin discussion for blue: "sapphirus".^[71]
• The sapphire is the traditional gift for a 45th wedding ceremony anniversary.^[72]
• A sapphire jubilee occurs later 65 years. Queen Elizabeth 2 marked her sapphire jubilee in 2017.^[3]
• The sapphire is the birthstone of September.
• An Italian superstition holds that sapphires are amulets confronting heart problems, and melancholy.^[73]
• Pope Innocent III decreed that rings of bishops should exist made of pure gold, set with an unengraved sapphire, as possessing the virtues and qualities essential to its dignified position equally a seal of secrets, for there be many things "that a priest conceals from the senses of the vulgar and less intelligent; which he keeps locked up every bit it were nether seal."^[74]
• The sapphire is the official state jewel of Queensland since August 1985.^[75]

Notable sapphires [edit]

Sapphire	Origin	Size	Cut	Color	Location
Bismarck Sapphire[76]	Myanmar	98.56 carats	Tabular array	Blue	National Museum of Natural History, Washington
Blackness Star of Queensland[18]	Australia, 1938	733 carats	Star	Black	Anonymous possessor
Blue Belle of Asia [77]	Sri Lanka	392.52 carats	Cushion	Blue	Anonymous owner
Logan Sapphire[78]	Sri Lanka	422.99 carats	Cushion	Bluish	National Museum of Natural History, Washington
Queen Marie of Romania[79]	Sri Lanka	478.68 carats	Cushion	Blueish	Anonymous owner
Star of Adam[17]	Sri Lanka, 2015	1404.49 carats	Star	Blue	Anonymous possessor
Star of Mumbai	Sri Lanka	182 carats	Star	Blue-violet	National Museum of Natural History, Washington
Star of India	Sri Lanka	563.four carats	Star	Blue-greyness	American Museum of Natural History, New York
Stuart Sapphire	Sri Lanka	104 carats		Blueish	Tower of London

Extensive tables listing over a hundred important and famous rubies and sapphires can be establish in Chapter 10 of Ruby & Sapphire: A Gemologist's Guide.^{[4] : 380–395}

See also [edit]

• Geuda
• Emerald
• Ruby

References [edit]

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External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sapphire.

• Webmineral.com, Webmineral Corundum Page, Webmineral with all-encompassing crystallographic and mineralogical information on Corundum
• "Sapphire". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911.

davismoomed.blogspot.com

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapphire

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