Products HomeEmpty 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
Please Wait
Click to Enlarge
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 |
Click to Enlarge
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.
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. |
Zoom| 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.
Zoom| Specifications | ||
|---|---|---|
| Item # | GC252 | GC502 |
| Fill Tubes | Two at 90° | |
| Valve Type | N/A | |
| 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) |  |
 |
- Two Fill Tubes at 90°
- 100 mm Long Empty Borosilicate Cells
- Ø25 mm or Ø50 mm Fused Borosilicate Windows
- Ideal for Sample Flow Through
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.
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 |