Patent ID: RE39535

Claim:
In a method for making a non-porous body of high purity fused silica glass comprising the steps of: (a) producing a gas stream containing a silicon-containing compound in vapor form capable of being converted through thermal decomposition with oxidation or flame hydrolysis to SiO 2 ; (b) passing said gas stream into the flame of a combustion burner to form amorphous particles of fused SiO 2 ; (c) depositing said amorphous particles onto a support; and (d) either essentially simultaneously with said deposition or subsequently thereto consolidating said deposit of amorphous particles into a non-porous body; the improvement comprising utilizing as said silicon-containing compound in vapor form, a halide-free polymethylsiloxane, whereby no halide-containing vapors are emitted during the making of said non-porous body of high purity fused silica glass.