RFQ hygiene
Questions we
actually get.
Do you manufacture or only distribute?
KM Innovation Corp. manufactures CVD zinc selenide in South Korea. KM Innovation USA quotes, stocks and ships from Sarasota, Florida. Write sales@kminnovationusa.com.
Laser grade or optical grade?
Same CVD ZnSe, not a second chemistry. Laser grade is specified around bulk absorption at 10.6 µm (KM datasheet < 0.0005 cm−1) for CO2. Optical grade is for imaging / thermal / spectroscopy. Grade is on the quotation and CoC. An AR coating does not change bulk absorption. See the factory grade cards and the cited grade note.
How is ZnSe grown? Can I see inside the reactor?
CVD: Zn vapor + H2Se → polycrystalline ZnSe on a mandrel (DTIC ADA042147). The photograph is the closed vessel on the factory floor. The factory page has plant photos plus a labeled schematic of the published reaction. How it is grown →
How long does a thick plate take to grow?
Quality CVD is slow. Published quality rates are 50–70 µm/h (RU2253705C1) and ~127 µm/h laser-quality (ADA042147, 0.005 in/h). At 50 µm/h, 30 mm is ~25 days of furnace-on time if the rate holds; heat-up, cool-down, grind and inspect are extra. That is literature arithmetic, not a KM lead time. We do not quote the fast 0.010 in/h production figure as a quality rate. Thickness clock.
What does SMTY mean?
Sufficient material to yield. Water-jet nested shapes cut at least 1.5 mm larger than the finished size so you still have grind stock. Circle, square and thick formats.
Core-drilled allowances?
Diameter +2.032 mm (0.080"), thickness ±0.254 mm (0.010"), edge chip <0.762 mm (0.030"). Say if your CAD already includes that fat.
Do windows include AR?
Uncoated unless you specify. We quote 10.6 µm, dual-band (10.6 + 633 nm), or a camera band. Write the wavelengths.
Is ZnSe hazardous?
Yes. Gloves, no dry grind, SDS with the quote, return-for-disposal on request. SDS (PDF).
ISO 9001?
Yes. ISO 9001:2015 for the South Korea plant, certificate ISCQM-1611, latest issue 14 June 2026, valid through 13 June 2027. Certifications · PDF. Quotes still go to Florida. We do not hold ISO 13485.
Can I buy germanium, ZnS, or finished CO2 lenses as a catalogue?
This desk is ZnSe material and ZnSe forms. The factory site also lists CVD-ZnS and CVD-SiC; we do not quote those here. Other crystals and coated lens catalogues belong on a different RFQ.
EU / US shipping?
Quoted from Florida. Hazardous-material rules may apply. Ship-to country is required. Incoterms on the quote line.
Can I upload a drawing?
Yes — PDF, DXF or STEP on the quote form. Ship-to country is required (hazmat).
Who is the legal seller? Same address as American Photonics?
KM Innovation manufactures CVD ZnSe in South Korea. KM Innovation USA quotes and ships from 6621 19th Street East, Sarasota — a logistics facility also used by American Photonics. This site is ZnSe only. The seller name is on the quotation. Legal notice.
How fast is a quote?
Dimensions or a drawing → typically 1–2 working days from the Florida desk. Incomplete grade / size / qty / country is what slows it down.