Patent ID: 7373792

Claim:
A method for producing large-volume optical components of high optical quality from synthetic quartz glass blanks, comprising: heating at least one quartz glass blank in at least one mold in an atmosphere of a protective gas to a temperature 30° to 170° K above the softening point of the quartz glass blank; providing a guide structure, said guide structure being outside of the mold; providing a pressure plate movably disposed along said guide structure; providing a pressure device for applying pressure to said pressure plate; pressing said pressure plate with said pressure device against an upper surface of said quartz glass blank, said upper surface being acted upon by a pressure of 10 to 500 kPa; bringing the quartz glass blank into a shape determined by the mold, said pressure plate comprising a bushing through which said guide structure protrudes; providing a furnace, said pressure plate being disposed within said furnace; providing connecting means which connect said pressure device and said pressure plate, said pressure device being disposed outside of said furnace; and acting on said pressure plate with said pressure device by means of said connecting means.