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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ

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Oxide Removal from Sapphire

I am looking for a method to remove an oxide layer from sapphire substrate, other than lapping or polishing. It is important that the epi-surface not be disturbed.

Patrick Place
- Lakeside, Arizona, USA

This is kind of a strange question, since sapphire is comprised almost entirely of aluminum oxide(Al2O3). The entire fused crystal is oxidized aluminum with a few trace metals. If you are trying to plate it, use non-conductor plating techniques. I have done it before on tiny alumina pieces.

Michael Brewington
Fin-Tec, Inc. - Salisbury, Maryland, USA

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