Quartz Cuvettes for UV-Vis and Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Any absorbance measurement below about 340 nm fails in a glass or plastic cuvette — the holder absorbs the light before the sample does. Quartz cuvettes solve this: fused silica transmits from deep in the ultraviolet (from about 185–200 nm, depending on grade) through the visible and into the near infrared, making the quartz cuvette the default cell for UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy.

Material grades and transmission

Two material families cover most instruments. Optical-grade fused quartz transmits usefully from around 220 nm and suits routine UV-Vis work. Synthetic fused silica, with very low hydroxyl content, extends the usable range down to about 185 nm and is the choice for deep-UV methods and demanding fluorescence work. In the visible range both outperform optical glass; the decision is driven by how far into the UV the method reaches.