Abstract: A system for delivering a liquid reactant at high flow rates to an oxidation/flame hydrolysis glass soot deposition site. A first liquid only reactant is delivered to a flash vaporization chamber to form a thin film and mixed with oxygen after vaporization. Additional vaporized reactants are thereafter mixed with the vaporized first liquid prior to delivery to an oxidation/flame hydrolysis burner to form a glass soot outer cladding layer on a soot preform. The soot preform is subsequently fused to form a high quality glass blank for drawing into optical fiber.

Abstract: This invention is directed to the production of fused silica-containing glass articles of large cross section or diameter wherein at least a surface layer thereof exhibits very high optical quality. The method involves depositing via flame hydrolysis/oxidation reaction a layer of fused silica-containing soot onto a supporting bait, essentially immediately thereafter applying a source of heat concentrated uniformly across the breadth of the soot deposit, but focused only over a relatively small area thereof, to raise the temperature within that area sufficiently to uniformly consolidate the soot in that area into a non-porous glass, and then cooling the glass to room temperature.

Abstract: There is disclosed a highly refractory substrate having a vitreous carbon coating formed on its surface, and a method of forming such coating by contacting the substrate, while hot, with an organic material in liquid form. In one form, the substrate is a drawn glass filament which may be coated as part of the drawing operation, and which may, for example, be an optical filament useful in an optical waveguide system.