System for heat treating a sapphire component

A system for heat treating sapphire components, the system including:

• a furnace defining an internal volume;
• a fixture positioned within the internal volume and having a rod that is configured to suspend multiple sapphire components;
• multiple shield elements that are configured to be interspersed with the multiple sapphire components within the internal volume;
• a vacuum supply operatively coupled to the internal volume and configured to remove gas from the internal volume of the furnace;
• a gas supply operatively coupled to the internal volume and configured to introduce and inert gas to the internal volume of the furnace;
• and
• a substantially tubular sleeve tool comprising an outer surface defining a bore therethrough:
• wherein the sleeve tool is configured to be inserted through an opening in multiple sapphire components that are to be heat treated, the sleeve tool is configured to receive the rod within the bore of the sleeve tool, and the sleeve tool is configured to deposit each of the multiple sapphire components that are to be heat treated onto the rod.