Patent ID: 6477305
Filing Date: 2002-11-05
Classification: C03B,C03C,G02B

Abstract:
A method of fabricating a cylindrical glass body for use in manufacturing optical waveguide fiber, said method comprising the steps of:a) chemically reacting at least some of the constituents of a moving fluid mixture comprising at least one glass-forming precursor compound and an oxidizing medium, the reaction resulting in the formation of a silica-based reaction product; b) depositing at least a part of said reaction product on a substrate to form a porous body thereon, at least a portion of said porous body including hydrogen bonded to oxygen; c) removing the substrate from said porous body, thereby forming a centerline hole extending axially through said porous body; d) consolidating and drying at least a portion of said porous body to form a glass preform; and e) closing the centerline hole and said drying, consolidating, and closing steps are performed under conditions suitable to result in a solid glass body suitable to make an optical fiber having an optical attenuation of less than about 0.35 dB/km at a wavelength of 1380 nm.