Silica Glass for High-Q Mechanical Resonators

Abstract

This paper addresses issues related to the choice of materials for the fabrication of high-Q mechanical resonators. It has been shown that the best material combining a low level of thermoelastic losses and small bulk internal friction is silica glass. Given its excellent dissipative characteristics and relatively low cost, silica glass prepared via high-temperature hydrolysis of silicon tetrachloride in an oxygen–hydrogen flame is the most promising material for such resonators.