Products HomeThreaded Empty Glass Cells
- 100 mm Long Empty Borosilicate Glass Cells for Spectroscopy
- Ø28 mm with GL-32 Threading on Each End
- Available with One or Two Fill Tubes
- Custom Solutions Available
TGC100A
One Fill Tube,
100 mm Long
TGC100V
One Fill Tube with
J. Young® Valve
GC1
End Cap for Ø28 mm Threaded Glass Cells
GC1V
Viton® O-Ring
TGC100D
Two Parallel Fill Tubes with Glass Stopcocks
HT10KR
10 W Metal Ceramic Ring Heater
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| Glass Cells Selection Guide | ||||
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| Empty Glass Cells | Empty Glass Cells with Angled Windows | Threaded Empty Glass Cells | Vapor Reference Cells | Glass Cell Heaters |
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The TGC100V Empty Glass Cell features a J. Young® Valve that can be closed to maintain a high-vacuum seal.
Features
- 100 mm Glass Cells for Spectroscopy Applications
- Both Ends Include GL-32 Threading Allowing Installation of Interchangeable Windows
- 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 Flexible Glass Cell Heaters
These empty borosilicate glass cells feature external GL-32 glass threading at their ends, which allows users to secure Ø25 mm or Ø1" flat windows (3 - 5 mm thick) using a GC1 Threaded End Cap, as depicted in the illustration below. Once windows are attached, the cell can be filled with atomic vapors or molecular compounds for spectroscopic analysis. A user-provided spectroscopy-grade light source can be matched with the transmission characteristics of the window material. We also offer empty glass cells that do not have threaded ends and thus do not require assembly, as well as empty glass cells with angled windows that compensate for beam offset. As shown in the video to the right, custom reference cells can be manufactured upon request, including different cell lengths, cell diameters, or fill tube configurations. Please contact Tech Support with inquiries.
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 upper right). Fill tubes with a 0.5" outer diameter are compatible with Ø1/2" compression fittings, as shown in the Vacuum Seal tab. The GC1 caps and GC1V O-Rings will limit the clear aperture of the optic to 0.79".
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. All glass cells on this page can hold a vacuum below 10-7 Torr and withstand pressures up to 5 psi when properly assembled. 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.
Click for Details
Schematic of Threaded Glass Cell with Window, Ring Heater, Viton®* O-Rings, and End Cap
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. Our cells with threaded ends can be heated using the HT10KR Ring Heater, which can fit inside the threaded end cap, as illustrated to the left. 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.
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.
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Zoom| Specifications | ||
|---|---|---|
| Item # | TGC100A | TGC100V |
| Fill Tubes | One | One |
| Valve Type | N/A | J. Young® |
| Cell Length | 100.0 ± 3 mm | |
| Cell Diameter | Ø28.0 ± 0.5 mm | |
| Pressure @ 25 °C | <10-7 Torr to 5 psi | |
| Fill Tube Outer Diameter | 0.50" (12.7 mm) | |
| Cell Substrate | Uncoated Borosilicate | |
| Diagram (Click to View) |  |
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- Single Fill Tube Available with or without J. Young® Valve
- 100 mm Long Empty Borosilicate Cells
- Ø28 mm Body with External GL-32 Threading on Each End
- Ideal for Sample Isolation
These Ø28 mm empty borosilicate glass cells have threaded ends with no windows. Customer-supplied Ø25 mm or Ø1" flat windows (3 - 5 mm thick) can be installed using two GC1 polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) end caps, which are sold below.
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 in the line 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.
Zoom| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Item # | TGC100B |
| Fill Tubes | Two at 90° |
| Valve Type | N/A |
| Cell Length | 100.0 ± 3 mm |
| Cell Diameter | Ø28.0 ± 0.5 mm |
| Pressure @ 25 °C | <10-7 Torr to 5 psi |
| Fill Tube Outer Diameter | 0.50" (12.7 mm) |
| Cell Substrate | Uncoated Borosilicate |
| Diagram (Click to View) |  |
- Two Fill Tubes at 90°
- 100 mm Long Empty Borosilicate Cells
- Ø28 mm Body with External GL-32 Threading on Each End
- Ideal for Sample Flow Through
These Ø28 mm empty borosilicate glass cells have threaded ends with no windows. Customer-supplied Ø25 mm or Ø1" flat windows (3 - 5 mm thick) can be installed using two GC1 polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) end caps, which are sold below.
Glass cells with two fill tubes enable gas samples to flow through the cells while under analysis. These cells do not come with integrated valves and can only isolate a sample by adding valves at other points in the system.
Zoom| Specifications | ||
|---|---|---|
| Item # | TGC100C | TGC100D |
| Fill Tubes | Two at 0° | |
| Valve Type | N/A | Two Glass Stopcocks |
| Cell Length | 100.0 ± 3 mm | |
| Cell Diameter | Ø28.0 ± 0.5 mm | |
| Pressure @ 25 °C | <10-7 Torr to 5 psi | |
| Fill Tube Outer Diameter | 0.31" (8.0 mm) | |
| Cell Substrate | Uncoated Borosilicate | |
| Diagram (Click to View) |  |
 |
- Two Parallel Fill Tubes
- 100 mm Long Empty Borosilicate Cells
- Ø28 mm Body with External GL-32 Threading on Each End
- Available with or without Glass Stopcocks
These Ø28 mm empty borosilicate glass cells have threaded ends with no windows. Customer-supplied Ø25 mm or Ø1" flat windows (3 - 5 mm thick) can be installed using two GC1 polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) end caps, which are sold below.
These glass cells have parallel tubes with or without glass stopcocks. The glass stopcocks incorporated in our TGC100D glass cell are greaseless and designed for high-vacuum applications.
Zoom| Item # | HT10KR |
|---|---|
| Heater Power | 10 W @ 24 V ± 10% |
| Heater Resistance | 50 Ω ± 10% |
| Outer Diametera | 25.0 mm (0.984") |
| Inner Diametera | 20.0 mm (0.787") |
| Thicknessa,b | 2.25 mm (0.088") |
| Lead Lengtha | 305.0 mm (12.01") |
| Max Temperature | 75 °C |
- For tolerances on these dimensions, see the spec sheets by clicking on the red Docs icons (
) below. - This specification includes the thickness of the ceramic ring and the thermistor.
- GL-32 Threaded Cap and X-Profile O-Ring
- Seats Customer-Supplied Ø25 mm or Ø1" Flat Windows (3 - 5 mm Thick)
- Compatible with Optional HT10KR Metal Ceramic Ring Heater
Our Ø28 mm empty borosilicate glass cells have threaded ends that can be closed using two GC1 polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) end caps, which are designed to hold a Ø25 mm or Ø1" flat window (3 - 5 mm thick). Each end cap includes two GC1V Viton® O-Rings with an X-shaped cross section (Dash # 211*), which can also be purchased separately.
The HT10KR Metal Ceramic Ring Heater can fit inside the threaded plastic cap; the cap features a slot to allow the ring heater wires to exit. Adding this allows the temperature of the gas contained within a threaded cell to be controlled. The heater contains a 10 kΩ thermistor and can be used with the TC200 Temperature Controller. Please note that the max current of the TC200 is 0.75 A; this may inhibit the max power of the heaters. We also offer a variety of other TEC elements, resistive heaters, thermistors, and thermocouples for temperature control.
*Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Dash Number as Defined in Standard AS568: Aerospace Size Standard for O-Rings
 Threaded Empty Glass Cells |