Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about high purity aluminum grades, products, ordering, shipping, and applications.
Purity and Selection
How do I choose between 4N, 5N, 5N5, and 6N high purity aluminum?
Selection depends on your application's sensitivity to impurities. 4N (99.99%) suits many general research and industrial uses. 5N (99.999%) and 5N5 are preferred for thin-film deposition, evaporation, and most scientific research. 6N (99.9999%) is typically specified for the most demanding applications such as superconducting qubits, Josephson junctions, and ultra-sensitive cryogenic systems where residual impurities can degrade performance.
Learn more: How to Choose Between 4N, 5N, 5N5 and 6N →When is 6N (99.9999%) aluminum worth the premium over 5N?
6N aluminum is worth the higher cost when even trace impurities affect device performance, particularly in quantum computing, certain cryogenic applications, and high-precision thin-film processes. For many research and industrial uses, 5N provides an excellent balance of purity and cost.
Learn more: Cost vs Performance, When Is 6N Worth the Premium? →What is the highest purity aluminum available?
HPA supplies aluminum up to 6N5 (99.99995%) MBE grade, the highest purity aluminum grade available for use as a starting material for molecular beam epitaxy and other thin-film deposition techniques.
Learn more: What Is the Highest Purity Aluminum? →Why is 5N aluminum so much more expensive than 4N?
The cost difference reflects the additional refining steps required. Producing 5N aluminum requires specialized purification processes that remove impurities down to parts-per-million levels. Each additional nine of purity demands progressively more sophisticated and costly processing.
Learn more: Why Is 5N Aluminum More Expensive Than 4N? →Products and Forms
What forms of high purity aluminum does HPA supply?
HPA supplies 4N, 5N, 5N5, and 6N aluminum as foil, sheet, plate, rod, rod coil, wire, evaporation pellets, sputtering targets, rotary targets, blocks, and starter sources. Custom sizes and shapes are available.
Do you supply metals other than aluminum?
Yes. HPA also supplies High Purity Copper 6N (99.9999%), High Purity Nickel 5N (99.999%), and High Purity Titanium 5N (99.999%) pellets and plate.
Can I order custom sizes or alloys?
Yes. HPA welcomes custom requirements for special shapes, sizes, and alloys including AlSi, AlCu, AlNi, AlMg, and AlNd. Contact us with your specifications for availability and lead time.
Can I get a bonded sputtering target assembly?
Yes. HPA supplies bonded target assemblies designed for your sputtering tool and process requirements. Send us your target design, backing plate specifications, and bonding requirements for a custom quote.
Ordering and Shipping
How fast do orders ship?
Stock items ship from our Boca Raton, FL facility within 1 to 2 business days for US orders and 2 to 5 business days for international orders. GDMS certificates are available on request.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes. HPA ships worldwide. International orders typically ship within 2 to 5 business days of the confirmed order. Contact us for options specific to your region.
How do I request a quote?
Add items to your quote list or contact us at info@highpurityaluminum.com with the product, purity, size, and quantity you require. We respond promptly.
What payment methods do you accept?
HPA accepts major credit cards, wire transfer, and purchase orders from qualified accounts. Contact us with specific payment requirements.
Applications
What is high purity aluminum used for?
High purity aluminum (4N to 6N5) is used for sputtering targets, evaporation and thin-film coating, semiconductor fabrication, superconducting cavities, and quantum computing qubits.
Why do quantum computing and research labs choose high purity aluminum?
High purity aluminum offers excellent superconducting properties at low temperatures, low residual resistivity, and minimal magnetic impurities. These properties benefit superconducting thin films, Josephson junctions, qubits, and cryogenic devices.
Learn more: Why Quantum Companies Choose High Purity Aluminum →Does ultra-high purity really matter in evaporation and sputtering processes?
Yes. Source-material impurities can transfer into a deposited film and affect electrical, optical, and superconducting properties. Using 5N or higher purity reduces contamination risk and improves film quality and repeatability.
Learn more: Does Ultra-High Purity Matter in Evaporation? →Where can I buy aluminum sputtering targets?
You can buy aluminum sputtering targets directly from HPA in disk and plate form, from 4N to 6N purity. Stock is held in Boca Raton and ships rapidly in the USA and overseas.
Learn more: All About Aluminum Sputtering Targets →Quality and Certification
What should I look for on a Certificate of Analysis (COA)?
A useful COA lists actual measured impurity levels, the analytical method, lot number, and purity grade. Review critical impurities such as Fe, Si, Cu, and Mg, and request a COA matching the exact lot you will receive.
Learn more: Certificate of Analysis Explained →Does HPA provide GDMS certificates?
Yes. Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry Certificates of Analysis are available on request with every shipment. GDMS accurately measures trace impurities and is an industry standard for certifying aluminum purity.
What is the difference between cast and directionally solidified aluminum?
HPA's super high purity aluminum (5N and above) is produced using directional solidification in vacuum. This helps prevent inclusions and maintain the highest purity levels. Cast 4N aluminum suits uses where trace-level contamination is less critical.