Empty Glass Cells

100 mm Long Empty Borosilicate Glass Cells for Spectroscopy
Ø25 mm or Ø50 mm Flat Windows
Available with One or Two Fill Tubes
Custom Solutions Available

GC252

Two Fill Tubes, Ø25 mm Windows

Application Idea

The KF25C050 Ø1/2" compression fitting provides compatibility with KF25-flanged vacuum systems.

GC501

One Fill Tube,
Ø50 mm Windows

GCV251

One Fill Tube with
J. Young^® Valve,
Ø25 mm Windows

Borosilicate Cell

KF25C050 KF25 Flange to Compression Fitting Adapter

KF25WNC Wing Nut Clamp, KF25CR-F Centering O-Ring Inside

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Overview
Application
Vacuum Seal
Feedback

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The GCV251 and GCV501 Empty Glass Cells feature a J. Young^® Valve that can be closed to maintain a high-vacuum seal.

Glass Cells Selection Guide

Empty Glass Cells	Threaded Empty Glass Cells	Vapor Reference Cells	Glass Cell Heaters

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These empty glass cells can also be mounted in our VC3C(/M) V-Clamp.

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View Imperial Product List

Item #	Qty	Description
GC251	1	Empty Glass Cell with Ø25 mm Fused Windows, 100 mm Long, One Fill Tube
VC3C	1	Large V-Clamp with PM4 Clamping Arm, 2.5" Long, Imperial
PM4	1	Large Adjustable Clamping Arm, 6-32 Threaded Post
GCH25R	2	Cap Heater for Ø25 mm Glass Cells, 10 W

View Metric Product List

Item #	Qty	Description
GC251	1	Empty Glass Cell with Ø25 mm Fused Windows, 100 mm Long, One Fill Tube
VC3C/M	1	Large V-Clamp with PM4/M Clamping Arm, 63.5 mm Long, Metric
PM4/M	1	Large Adjustable Clamping Arm, M4 x 0.7 Threaded Post
GCH25R	2	Cap Heater for Ø25 mm Glass Cells, 10 W

GC251 Glass Cell Shown
with Two GCH25R Heater Caps

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View Product List

Item #	Qty	Description
GC251	1	Empty Glass Cell with Ø25 mm Fused Windows, 100 mm Long, One Fill Tube
GCH25-75	1	Heater Assembly for Ø9, Ø19, or Ø25 mm x 75 mm Glass Cells, 15 W per Heating Element
ER4-P4	1	Cage Assembly Rod, 4" Long, Ø6 mm, 4 Pack

Our Ø25 mm glass cells can be mounted in our GCH25-75 Heater using four ER4 cage rods.

Features

100 mm Glass Cells for Spectroscopy Applications
Both Ends Include Ø25 mm Windows or Ø50 mm Windows
Borosilicate Substrate for Cell and Windows
High Transmission from 350 to 2200 nm
Available with One Tube for Filling or Two Tubes for Flow
Single Fill Tube Cells Also Available with Genuine J. Young^® Valve for Sealing
Custom Design and Manufacturing Services Available (Contact Tech Support)
Ø25 mm Cells Compatible with a Variety of Glass Cell Heaters
Also Available with GL-32 Threading for Interchangeable Windows

These empty borosilicate glass cells can be filled with vapors of specific atomic elements or molecular compounds, each of which has a well-defined absorption spectrum. Cells are available with either one or two fill tubes. A single fill tube is useful when sealing a cell while two fill tubes can be used to maintain constant gas flow. We also offer empty cells with a single fill tube and a J. Young^® Valve to seal the cell with a high-vacuum, greaseless stopcock (see the image to the right). Fill tubes with a 0.5" outer diameter are compatible with Ø1/2" compression fittings, as shown on the Vacuum Seal tab. Custom reference cells can be manufactured upon request, including different cell lengths, cell diameters, or fill tube configurations. Please contact Tech Support with inquiries.

Each cell is made from borosilicate glass, a rugged material known to resist chipping and cracking, and has high transmission from 350 nm to 2200 nm. The ends of each cell include either Ø25 mm or Ø50 mm fused windows. We also offer glass cells with threaded ends for installing flat windows that can match your desired transmission properties. All glass cells on this page can hold a vacuum below 10^-7 Torr and withstand pressures up to 5 psi. The post-production cleaning process for these cells consists of an ultrasonic cleaning followed by a methanol rinse. The cell is then connected to a vacuum system and leak tested. The cells are not vacuum sealed when shipped; before using the cell in a vacuum setup, we advise users to follow a similar cleaning process for each cell.

These cells are commonly used in spectroscopic applications such as tunable diode laser calibration, stabilization of laser frequencies, and calibration of wavelength meters. Refer to the Application tab for a general overview of use with absorption spectroscopy. We also offer pre-assembled Herriott cells for gas absorption spectroscopy applications, as well as filled and sealed vapor reference cells.

Mounting & Heating Options
The glass cells can be mounted in our V-Clamp Mounts, which are available in standard, kinematic, or Ø1.5" post-compatible versions. Please check that the cell diameter is supported by the mount. Cells with fused Ø25 mm windows can be mounted in our GCH25-75 Glass Cell Heater as illustrated in the photo to the upper right. This requires swapping out the included Ø6 mm cage rods with four ER4 4" long cage rods. We also offer the GCH25R Cap Heater for cells with fused Ø25 mm windows. This heater attaches directly to the end of a cell. Our HT10K and TLK-H Resistive Foil Heaters can attach to the outside of the glass cells via adhesive backing.

*J. Young^® is a registered trademark of GPE Scientific. Viton^® is a registered trademark of DuPont.

Absorption Spectroscopy

The reference substance pumped into the glass cell is associated with a unique absorption spectrum that serves as its fingerprint. The contents of a reference cell can be determined via a linear absorption measurement (as depicted by the simplified schematic below). By scanning a tunable diode laser over a wavelength range and detecting light absorption with a photodetector, a series of peaks will be recorded, which is characteristic of the vapor inside the cell. Please note that we also offer pre-filled and sealed vapor reference cells with quartz or borosilicate substrates.

Animated Example of a Vacuum-Sealed System

Creating a Vacuum Seal with a KF Flange

Thorlabs' empty borosilicate cells can be used with our KF-Flanged components and accessories in order to manage gas flow in and out of the cell. The glass cells are terminated with one or two Ø0.50" (Ø12.7 mm) fill tubes that can be inserted into the KF25C050 flange-to-compression-fitting adapter.

To input the cell into a vacuum system:

Coat a cleaned and inspected KF25CR-F O-Ring in vacuum grease and place it on a base post or pipe.
Place the KF25C050 flange-to-compression-fitting adapter on top of the O-Ring and secure them with the KF25WNC wing nut clamp.
Loosen and remove the knurled locking knob of the KF25C050 so its mating surface can be inspected and the included O-Ring can be coated in vacuum grease. This will create a vacuum seal when the cell is inserted into the system.
Loosely tighten the knurled locking knob and insert the fill tube of the borosilicate cell and tighten the knob by hand.

For an animated representation of the above process, please see the video to the right.

Posted Comments:
Rohan Glover (posted 2020-11-30 02:36:36.073) Hi, What type of borosilicate glass are these cells made from? Thanks. llamb (posted 2020-12-16 04:13:37.0) Thank you for contacting Thorlabs. We use Simax borosilicate glass for these empty glass cells.

Empty Glass Cells, One Fill Tube

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Specifications
Item #	GC251	GCV251	GC501	GCV501
Fill Tubes	One	One	One	One
Valve Type	N/A	J. Young^®	N/A	J. Young^®
Cell Length	100.0 ± 3 mm
Window Size	Ø25.0 ± 0.5 mm		Ø50.0 ± 0.5 mm
Window Clear Aperture	Ø21.0 mm		Ø36.0 mm
Window Thickness	3.0 ± 0.5 mm
Window Perpendicularity	±1°
Pressure @ 25 °C	<10^-7 Torr to 5 psi
Fill Tube Outer Diameter	0.50" (12.7 mm)
Window & Cell Substrate	Uncoated Borosilicate
Borosilicate Transmission (Click for Plot)
Diagram (Click to View)

Single Fill Tube Available with or without J. Young^® Valve
100 mm Long Empty Borosilicate Cells
Ø25 mm or Ø50 mm Fused Borosilicate Windows
Ideal for Sample Isolation

Glass cells with a single fill tube are useful when introducing a sample into the cell and sealing it off for measurements. A gas sample can be sealed off elsewhere in the system or by using a cell with a J. Young^® Valve integrated into its fill tube. J. Young Valves incorporate a retractable, greaseless, PTFE stopcock for maintaining a high vacuum. The yellow knob can be tightened to create a seal before the T-junction fill tube or unscrewed completely for cleaning.

We offer Ø25 mm glass cells with Ø21.0 mm clear apertures and Ø50 mm glass cells with Ø36.0 mm clear apertures. The Ø25 mm glass cells are compatible with our selection of heaters for Ø25 mm glass cells. All of our glass cells are made from borosilicate glass.

Empty Glass Cells, Two Perpendicular Fill Tubes