Clear Float Glass (Soda-Lime Glass)
Soda-lime glass, also called soda-lime-silica glass, is the most prevalent type of glass used for display protection, optical windows, sensor covers, and lighting components in industrial equipment and electronic systems.
Tihot-Optics can provide custom fabrication and thin film coating of a wide selection of soda-lime float glass. Soda-lime glass can be chemically strengthened to increase mechanical strength or heat strengthened/tempered to increase thermal shock resistance and mechanical strength. The substrates can be machined, optically coated, chemically etched, and precision cut to custom specifications.
Soda-Lime Glass Products We Supply
Tihot-Optics can supply the following soda-lime glass substrate materials:
Clear Float Glass – Provides high light transmission (88-92%), can be AR coated for super high transmission, can be chemically strengthened, has flatness and minimal green tint. Ideal for display protection and optical windows.
Low Iron Soda-Lime Glass – Provides ultra-high light transmission (>91%), can be AR coated for maximum transmission, can be chemically strengthened, has superior flatness and no green tint. Perfect for high-clarity applications.
Tempered/Heat-Strengthened Glass – Provides 4-5x mechanical strength increase, thermal shock resistance up to 250°C, and shatters into small granular chunks when broken for safety. Used in protective panels and high-stress applications.
Anti-Glare Etched Soda-Lime Glass – Provides glare reduction through chemical etching, maintains high resolution, offers superior durability. Ideal for display covers and touch panel applications.
Precision Cut & Shaped Glass – Can be fabricated into virtually any shape, CNC drilled, edge polished, beveled, and custom dimensioned. Available in thickness from 0.55mm to 19mm.
Optical Coated Soda-Lime Glass – Can receive AR coating, ITO coating, mirror coating, bandpass filters, and custom optical coatings for specialized wavelength control.
What Is Soda-Lime Float Glass
Soda-lime glass is composed of 70-75% silica (SiO₂), 12-16% sodium oxide (Na₂O), and 5-12% calcium oxide (CaO). The float process forms molten glass on a tin bath, creating smooth surfaces with uniform thickness without extensive polishing.
Key properties of soda-lime float glass include:
- High light transmission: The smooth, flat surface is free of streaks or bubbles. Light transmission rate typically reaches 85-90%
- Cost-effective: Raw materials (sand, soda ash, limestone) are abundant and inexpensive. The mature float process enables high-volume production at low cost, making it the most economical optical substrate for non-specialty applications.
- Easy to process: Compatible with standard glass fabrication methods including cutting, grinding, drilling, and polishing. Can be thermally tempered to increase strength by 4-5 times.
Typical specifications:
- Refractive index: 1.51-1.52 @ 587.6nm
- Density: 2.5 g/cm³
- Thermal expansion: 9×10⁻⁶/°C
- Annealing point: 546°C
- Standard thickness: 0.55mm – 19mm
Applications of Soda-Lime Glass
Display & Touch Panel Protection
Optical Windows & Viewing Ports
Sensor & Detector Covers
Industrial & Equipment Glass
Lighting Components