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**SAPPHIRE**
Sapphire (Greek: σάπφειρος; sapphires,
"blue stone" is a gemstone variety
of the mineral corundum, an aluminum
oxide (α-Al2O3).
Trace amounts of other elements such as iron,
titanium, or chromium can
give corundum blue, yellow, pink, purple, orange, or greenish
color. Chromium impurities in corundum yield a red tint, and the
resultant gemstone is called a ruby.
Sapphires are commonly worn in jewelry.
Sapphires can be found naturally, by searching through certain sediments (due
to their resistance to being eroded compared to softer stones),
or rock formations, or they can be manufactured for industrial
or decorative purposes in large crystal boules.
Because of the remarkable hardness of
sapphires (and of aluminum oxide in general), sapphires are used
in some non-ornamental applications, including infrared optical
components, such as in scientific
instruments; high-durability windows (also
used in scientific instruments); wristwatch crystals
and movement bearings; and very thin electronic
wafers, which are used as the insulating substrates of
very special-purpose solid-state
electronics (most of
which are integrated
circuits)
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