Method of making dry optical waveguides
US4165223A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 6, 1978 |
| Grant date | Aug 21, 1979 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 6, 1998 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S65/90
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method of making low loss glass optical waveguides, wherein at least one coating of glass soot is deposited by the flame hydrolysis process on a starting member. The starting member is removed from the soot preform leaving an aperture therein. While the preform is heated to its consolidation temperature, an atmosphere including a drying agent is caused to flow into the aperture and through the porous preform, thereby removing water from the preform while the soot is consolidated to form a dense glass article. The atmosphere contains optimal amounts of oxygen and drying agent to minimize leaching of dopant oxide from the preform. Since some of the dopant oxide is leached from the preform near the aperture, the central portion of the preform is initially provided with an excess amount of dopant oxide. The resultant draw blank is drawn into an optical waveguide filament.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.