I-Single crystal sapphire iyisici esinobulukhuni obuphezulu, ukuqina okuhle kakhulu kwamakhemikhali kanye nokubonakala obala phezu kobubanzi obubanzi be-wavelength. Ngenxa yalezi zinzuzo, isetshenziswa kabanzi ezimbonini ezahlukahlukene ezihlanganisa ukunakekelwa kwezempilo, ubunjiniyela, ukuhlinzekwa kwezempi, ezondiza, i-Optics.
Ukuze kukhule usayizi omkhulu wesafire yekristalu eyodwa, izindlela ze-Kyropoulos (Ky) kanye ne-Czochralski (Cz) zisetshenziswa kakhulu. Indlela ye-Cz iyindlela esetshenziswa kabanzi yokukhula kwekristalu eyodwa lapho i-alumina incibilikiswa ku-crucible bese kudonswa imbewu; imbewu ijikeleziswa kanyekanye ngemva kokuxhumana nendawo yensimbi encibilikisiwe, futhi indlela ye-Ky isetshenziselwa ngokuyinhloko ukukhula kwekristalu eyodwa yesafire enobubanzi obukhulu. Nakuba isithando somlilo saso esiyisisekelo sifana nendlela ye-Cz, ikristalu yembewu ayijikelezi ngemva kokuxhumana ne-alumina encibilikisiwe, kodwa yehlisa kancane izinga lokushisa le-heater ukuze ivumele ikristalu eyodwa ukuthi ikhule iye phansi isuka kukristalu yembewu. Singasebenzisa imikhiqizo ekwazi ukumelana nokushisa okuphezulu esithandweni sesafire, njenge-tungsten crucible, i-molybdenum crucible, i-tungsten nesihlangu sokushisa se-molybdenum, isici sokushisa se-tungsten neminye imikhiqizo emise okukhethekile ye-tungsten ne-molybdenum.
