Synthetic Quartz with High Ultraviolet Transmission

Quartz has been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions at rates of 1.78 mm/day in the presence of LiNO(2) in Ag lined and Ag plated systems, and it is shown that such quartz has optical transmission between 1500 A and 3 micro equal, and in some cases superior to, natural quartz. The uv cutoff at about 1500 A has been shown to be associated with Fe whose concentration may be reduced by procedures that reduce the concentration of charge compensating H+ in the lattice (growth in LiNO(2)) and by procedures which reduce the concentration of Fe in solutions (inert conditions). Transmission near 3 micro is affected by OH which can be reduced by LiNO(2).