Plasma Utilized Patents (Class 65/391)
  • Patent number: 11518704
    Abstract: To provide a fabrication method for a porous glass base material for optical fiber, the method including performing deposition of glass fine particles generated by using a burner for glass fine particle synthesis to form a porous glass base material, and heating this porous glass base material to be transformed into transparent glass to obtain a glass base material hardly containing any air bubbles. Provided is a fabrication method for a porous glass base material for optical fiber by depositing glass fine particles, which is generated in flame formed by ejecting a glass raw material gas and a combustible gas from a burner, on a rotating starting material, in which the burner continuously ejects inert gas for at least a predetermined period immediately after the end of the deposition of the glass fine particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Kojima, Yuichi Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 11236006
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for fabrication of an optical fibre soot preform. The method includes production of silicon dioxide particles along with waste particulates. The silicon dioxide particles are produced using a precursor material in a combustion chamber. In addition, the method includes cooling of the silicon dioxide particles. Further, the method includes agglomeration of the silicon dioxide particles. Furthermore, the method includes separation of the waste particulates from the silicon dioxide particles. Moreover, the method includes dehydration of the silicon dioxide particles. Also, the method includes compaction of the silicon dioxide particles. The compaction of the silicon dioxide particles facilitates fabrication of the optical fibre soot preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: STERLITE TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Sandeep Gaikwad, Badri Gomatam, Anand Pandey
  • Patent number: 10359564
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing multi-mode optical fiber is disclosed. The method of manufacturing includes: a step of forming a first glass base material while controlling a supply rate of an additive for adjusting a refractive index to achieve a desired refractive index distribution; a step of drawing the first glass base material; a step of measuring a residual stress distribution in a radial direction of the multi-mode optical fiber after being drawn; a step of readjusting the supply rate of the additive in accordance with deviation of a refractive index, acquired from the residual stress distribution measured, from the desired refractive index distribution; a step of forming a second glass base material while supplying the additive at the supply rate after being readjusted; and a step of drawing the second glass base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Saori Kubara, Tomohiro Ishihara, Kazuhiro Yonezawa
  • Patent number: 10040714
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for fabrication of ytterbium (Yb) doped optical fiber through vapor phase doping technique. The method comprises deposition of Al2O3 and Yb2O3 in vapor phase simultaneously in combination with silica during formation of sintered core layer. This is followed by collapsing at a high temperature in stepwise manner to produce the preform and drawing of fibers of appropriate dimension. The process parameters have been optimized in such a way that Al and Yb-chelate compounds can be transported to the reaction zone without decomposition and condensation of precursor materials. Thus variations of dopants concentration along the length of the preform have been minimized to <1% and good repeatability of the process has also been achieved. The resulting fibers also have smooth core-clad boundary devoid of any star-like defect. The process can be reliably adopted for fabrication of large core Yb doped optical fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignees: Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, Department of Electronics and Information Technology
    Inventors: Ranjan Sen, Maitreyee Saha
  • Patent number: 9593037
    Abstract: A method for carrying out a plasma deposition process including the steps of providing a substrate tube, supplying dopant-containing glass-forming gases to the substrate including a main gas flow and one or more secondary gas flows, inducing a plasma in the substrate tube, moving a reaction zone back and forth in strokes between a reversal point near the supply side and a reversal point near the discharge side, and interrupting the secondary gas flow during a portion of each stroke, each interruption having a start point and an end point within the same stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Draka Comteq B.V.
    Inventors: Igor Milicevic, Mattheus Jacobus Nicolaas Van Stralen, Johannes Antoon Hartsuiker, Gertjan Krabshuis
  • Publication number: 20150040615
    Abstract: An electrical discharge, suitable for heating optical fibers for processing, is made in a controlled partial vacuum, such that saturation of available ionizable gas molecules is reached. The workpiece temperature is thereby made to be a stably controlled function of the absolute air pressure and is insensitive to other conditions. A system and method accomplishing the foregoing are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Robert G. Wiley, Brett Clark, John Lower, Jason Troyer, Clyde J. Troutman
  • Patent number: 8863557
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a primary preform for an optical fiber wherein conditions are created in the reaction zone such that one or more glass layer packages made up of at least two separate glass layers are deposited on the interior of the substrate tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Draka Comteq, B.V.
    Inventors: Igor Milicevic, Johannes Antoon Hartsuiker, Mattheus Jacobus Nicolaas Van Stralan
  • Patent number: 8857372
    Abstract: An isothermal, low pressure-based process of depositing material within a substrate has been developed and results in creating an extremely narrow reaction zone within which a more uniform and efficient deposition will occur. Sets of isothermal plasma operating conditions have been found that create a narrow deposition zone, assuring that the deposited material is clear glass rather than soot particles. The chemical delivery system, in one arrangement, utilizes rods of solid phase source material (which may otherwise be difficult to obtain in gaseous form). The operating conditions are selected such that the hot plasma does not transfer a substantial amount of heat to the substrate tube, where the presence of such heat has been found to result in vaporizing the reactant material (creating soot) and developing hot spots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Inventors: James Fleming, George Zydzik
  • Patent number: 8840858
    Abstract: An apparatus for mixing a vaporized precursor with a gas for producing silica particles is provided. The apparatus includes a mixer housing, a precursor delivery chamber having an output in communication with the mixer housing for delivering a vaporized precursor in the mixer housing, and an oxidizing gas delivery chamber having an output in communication with the mixer housing for delivering an oxidizing gas to be mixed with the vaporized precursor. The apparatus further includes a flashback member disposed within the mixer housing and between the output of the precursor delivery chamber and the output of the oxidizing gas delivery chamber. The flashback member is located at a minimum distance from the output of the oxidizing gas delivery chamber defined by Lminimum (cm)=0.453 U (Re)?0.5567, wherein U is the flow rate in cm/sec of precursor and Re is the flow Reynolds number. The flashback member may include a tapered surface on at least one side to reduce recirculation of vaporized gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Lewis A Bernstein, Dana Craig Bookbinder, Jason A Dillard, Jennifer L Porter, Balram Suman, Pushkar Tandon
  • Publication number: 20140270665
    Abstract: The specification describes multimode optical fibers produced by improved methods that reduce the manufacturing cost. These methods may also be more efficient in terms of power loss. In one of the embodiments, the improved design has a large core of pure silica derived from a rod-in-tube method. In the embodiment, a down-doped cladding is produced by depositing fluorine-doped silica on the inside of a silica starting tube using isothermal radio frequency plasma deposition. The silica core is inserted and the starting tube collapsed. The silica starting tube is removed and optical fiber is drawn from the fluorine-doped glass coated silica rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: OFS Fitel, LLC
    Inventors: John C. Alonzo, David D. Braganza, Merrill H. Brodeur, James W. Fleming
  • Patent number: 8826699
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a primary preform for optical fibers using an internal vapor deposition process including the steps of providing a substrate tube having supply and discharge sides, surrounding at least part of the tube by a furnace, supplying glass-forming gases to the interior of the tube via the supply side, creating a reaction zone with conditions such that deposition of glass will take place on the inner surface of the tube, and moving the reaction zone back and forth along the length of the tube between reversal points near the supply and discharge sides to form one or more preform layers on the inner surface of the tube, wherein both reversal points are surrounded by the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Draka Comteq B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Antoon Hartsuiker, Igor Milicevic, Mattheus Jacobus Nicolaas Van Stralen, Eric Aloysius Kuijpers
  • Patent number: 8826698
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a primary preform for an optical fiber wherein conditions are created in the reaction zone such that one or more glass layer packages made up of at least two separate glass layers are deposited on the interior of the substrate tube. A method for manufacturing a final preform as well as primary preforms, final preforms and optical fibers obtained therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Draka Comteq B.V.
    Inventors: Igor Millicevic, Mattheus Jacobus Nicolaas Van Stralen, Eugen Aldea, Gerardus Franciscus Cleven
  • Patent number: 8820121
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing an optical fiber base material having at least four layer including a core, a first cladding, a second cladding containing fluorine, and a third cladding. The manufacturing method comprises preparing a starting base material that includes the core and the first cladding; forming a porous intermediate glass base material by supplying glass raw material and oxygen to a high-frequency induction thermal plasma torch to synthesize glass fine particles that are then deposited on a surface of the starting base material; forming an intermediate glass base material that includes the core, the first cladding, and the second cladding containing fluorine, by heating and vitrifying the porous intermediate glass base material in an atmosphere containing fluorine; and providing the third cladding on the outer surface of the intermediate glass base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuya Otosaka
  • Publication number: 20140208802
    Abstract: In plasma deposition processes for producing an optical preform according to the POD method, a cladding glass layer composed of fluorine-doped quartz glass is produced by means of a plasma torch on a cylindrical substrate body composed of quartz glass, said substrate body rotating about the longitudinal axis thereof. In this case, the plasma torch performs a reversing relative movement between two turning points (A; B) along the substrate body. In order, proceeding therefrom, to achieve a high fluorine doping in conjunction with a dopant distribution that is as uniform as possible axially, the invention proposes that a heat element has a heating effect on the region of one turning point (A; B) when the plasma torch is situated in the region of the other turning point (B; A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: HERAEUS QUARZGLAS GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Andreas Schultheis, Karsten Bräuer, Richard Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20140185996
    Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, the bend insensitive single-mode optical fiber includes a core layer and cladding layers having an inner cladding layer, a trench cladding layer and an outer cladding layer sequentially formed surrounding the core layer from inside to outside. For the core layer, the diameter is 7-7.9 ?m, and the relative refractive index difference ?1 is between 4.6×10?3 and 6.5×10?3. For the inner cladding layer, the diameter is 16.5-20 ?m, and a relative refractive index difference ?2 is between ?3×10?4 and 3×10?4. For the trench cladding layer, the diameter is 33-40 ?m, and the relative refractive index difference ?3 is between ?2.9×10?3 and ?7.3×10?3, changes in a gradient manner and increases gradually from outside to inside, where a relative refractive index difference ?32 at an outermost interface is smaller than a relative refractive index difference ?31 at an innermost interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: YANGTZE OPTICAL FIBRE AND CABLE JOINT STOCK LIMITED COMPANY
    Inventors: Lei Zhang, Yiwen Wu, Ming Ye, Mingfeng Mao, Zhiyong Wang, Ruichun Wang, Raadjkoemar Matai
  • Publication number: 20140157829
    Abstract: A method for activating an inner surface of a hollow glass substrate tube for manufacturing an optical fiber preform including depositing a plurality of activation glass layers on the inner surface of the hollow substrate tube by a PCVD process, wherein a total thickness of the deposited activation glass layers is between 10 microns and 250 microns, and etching the deposited activation glass layers to remove at least 30% of the deposited activation glass layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Draka Comteq B.V.
    Inventors: Igor Milicevic, Mattheus Jacobus Nicolaas Van Stralen, Johannes Antoon Hartsuiker
  • Patent number: 8739575
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a primary preform for optical fibers using an internal vapor deposition process including the steps of providing a substrate tube having supply and discharge sides, surrounding at least part of the tube by a furnace set at a temperature T0, supplying doped or undoped gases via the supply side, creating a reaction zone to promote deposition, and moving the zone back and forth along the length of the tube between reversal points near the supply and discharge sides to form at least one preform layer, which at least one layer comprises several glass layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Draka Comteq B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Antoon Hartsuiker, Igor Milicevic, Mattheus Jacobus Nicolaas Van Stralen, Eric Aloysius Kuijpers
  • Patent number: 8667816
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a primary preform for optical fibers, using an internal vapor deposition process, wherein a gas flow of doped undoped glass-forming gases is supplied to the interior of a hollow substrate tube having a supply side and a discharge side via the supply side thereof, wherein deposition of glass layers on the interior of the substrate tube is effected as a result of the presence of a reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Draka Comteq B.V.
    Inventors: Igor Milicevic, Mattheus Jacobus Nicolaas Van Stralen, Eugen Aldea
  • Patent number: 8635889
    Abstract: A known refraction-sensitive optical fiber comprises a core zone with an index of refraction nK, a jacket zone surrounding the core zone, said jacket zone having an index of refraction nM, and an annular zone made of quartz glass doped with fluorine, said annular zone surrounding the jacket zone and having an index of refraction nF, where nF<nM<nK. With this as a starting point, an optical fiber is to be provided that is characterized by high refraction-sensitivity, good spliceability and compatibility, and a method is to be provided for cost-effective manufacture of such a fiber. With regard to the method, this object is accomplished according to the invention in that the quartz glass of the annular zone (21) is produced in a plasma deposition process on the outside in which an annular zonal layer made of the quartz glass doped with fluorine is produced on a substrate body (20), said layer having a layer thickness of at least 1 mm and an index of refraction nF<1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jan Vydra, Peter Bauer, Karsten Braeuer, Michael Huenermann
  • Patent number: 8613208
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for welding one end of a primary preform and one end of a silica bar having different properties. The method includes the steps of projecting and fusing silica grain under a plasma torch onto an end of the primary preform and an end of the silica bar, and bringing into contact these respective ends to form an excellent weld between the primary preform and the silica bar. The invention provides a cost-effective way to secure a primary preform to a glass-working lathe support while reducing the risk of costly preform breakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Draka Comteq, B.V.
    Inventors: Gaetan Cuvelier, Laurent Jardy, Emmanuel Petitfrere
  • Publication number: 20130319052
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for cleaving an optical fiber are provided. The process includes window stripping the optical fiber using a laser source to create a window strip. The window stripped optical fiber is then scribed at a position within the window strip and tension is applied to the optical fiber. The cleaved optical fiber can be chamfered by applying a heat source to the cleaved end face. The above process and apparatus provide a high precision and inexpensive system for fiber cleaving and chamfering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: AFL TELECOMMUNICATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Lalitkumar BANSAL, John SUGRIM, Daiichiro TANAKA
  • Patent number: 8544299
    Abstract: To improve a known method for making a quartz glass tube as a semifinished product for the manufacture of optical fibers, the tube comprising an inner fluorine-doped quartz glass layer and an outer quartz glass layer, so as to achieve inexpensive manufacture and improved dimensional stability of the quartz glass tube, it is suggested according to the invention that the quartz glass of the inner layer should be produced in a first plasma deposition process with formation of an inner layer having a wall thickness of at least 1.5 mm, with a fluorine content of at least 1.5% by wt. being set in the quartz glass, and that the quartz glass of the outer layer should be produced in a second plasma deposition process and deposited directly or indirectly on the inner layer with formation of a composite tube, and that the composite tube should be elongated into the quartz glass tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gerhard Schoetz, Karsten Braeuer, Jan Vydra
  • Patent number: 8484996
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a preform for optical fibers, wherein deposition of glass-forming compounds on the substrate takes place. The present invention furthermore relates to a method for manufacturing optical fibers, wherein one end of a solid preform is heated, after which an optical fiber is drawn from said heated end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Draka Comteq B.V.
    Inventors: Dennis Robert Simons, Jelle Philip Terpsma, Frans Gooijer
  • Patent number: 8443630
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a primary preform for optical fibers using an internal vapor deposition process, including the steps of: i) providing a hollow glass substrate tube having a supply side and a discharge side, ii) surrounding at least part of the hollow glass substrate tube by a furnace, iii) supplying a gas flow, doped or undoped, of glass-forming gases to the interior of the hollow glass substrate tube via the supply side thereof, iv) creating a reaction zone in which conditions such that deposition of glass will take place on the interior of the hollow glass tube are created, and v) moving the reaction zone back and forth in longitudinal direction over the hollow glass substrate tube between a reversal point located near the supply side and a reversal point located near the discharge side of the hollow glass substrate tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Draka Comteq, B.V.
    Inventors: Igor Milicevic, Mattheus Jacobus Nicolaas Van Stralen, Johannes Antoon Hartsuiker, Eugen Aldea, Eric Aloysius Kuijpers
  • Patent number: 8402792
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a primary preform for optical fibers using an internal vapor deposition process, including the steps of: i) providing a hollow glass substrate tube having a supply side and a discharge side, ii) surrounding at least part of the hollow glass substrate tube by a furnace, iii) supplying doped or undoped glass-forming gases to the interior of the hollow glass substrate tube via the supply side thereof, iv) creating a reaction zone in which conditions such that deposition of glass will take place on the interior of the hollow glass tube are created, and v) moving the reaction zone back and forth along the length of the hollow glass substrate tube between a reversal point located near the supply side and a reversal point located near the discharge side of the hollow glass substrate tube, wherein, during at least part of step v), the gas flow comprises a first concentration of fluorine-containing compound when the reaction zone is moving in the direction of the discharge side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Draka Comteq B.V.
    Inventors: Igor Milicevic, Mattheus Jacobus Nicolaas Van Stralen, Johannes Antoon Hartsuiker, Eugen Aldea
  • Publication number: 20130067960
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a primary preform for an optical fibre wherein conditions are created in the reaction zone such that one or more glass layer packages made up of at least two separate glass layers are deposited on the interior of the substrate tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: Draka Comteq B.V.
    Inventor: Draka Comteq B.V.
  • Publication number: 20130067961
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a primary preform for an optical fibre wherein conditions are created in the reaction zone such that one or more glass layer packages made up of at least two separate glass layers are deposited on the interior of the substrate tube. A method for manufacturing a final preform as well as primary preforms, final preforms and optical fibres obtained therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: Draka Comteq B.V.
    Inventor: Draka Comteq B.V.
  • Publication number: 20130022329
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for making silicon or silicon/germanium core fiber is described, which uses a plasma process with reducing agent to make a preform. The process also makes the recommendations in selecting the adequate cladding tube for better fiber properties. An improved fiber drawing apparatus is also disclosed in order to draw this new type of preform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventor: Dau WU
  • Publication number: 20120324958
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical fiber preform, including: a) providing a lining tube as a substrate tube, and doping and depositing by a PCVD or an MCVD process; b) in the reacting gas of silicon tetrachloride and oxygen, introducing a fluorine-containing gas for fluorine doping, introducing germanium tetrachioride for germanium doping, ionizing the reacting gas in the lining tube through microwaves to form plasma, depositing the plasma on the inner wall of the lining tube in the form of glass; c) after the completion of deposition, processing the deposited lining tube into a solid core rod by melting contraction through an electric heating furnace; d) sleeving the solid core rod into a pure quartz glass jacketing tube and manufacturing the two into an optical fiber preform; and e) allowing the effective diameter d of the optical fiber preform to become between 95 and 205 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: Chen YANG, Qingrong HAN, Weijun TONG, Jie LUO, Yongtao LIU
  • Patent number: 8336337
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a blank mold from synthetic quartz glass by using a plasma-assisted deposition method, according to which a hydrogen-free media flow containing a glass starting material and a carrier gas is fed to a multi-nozzle deposition burner. The glass starting material is introduced into a plasma zone by the deposition burner and is oxidized therein while forming SiO2 particles, and the SiO2 particles are deposited on a deposition surface while being directly vitrified. In order to increase the deposition efficiency, the invention provides that the deposition burner (1) focuses the media flow toward the plasma zone (4) by. A multi-nozzle plasma burner, which is suited for carrying out the method and which is provided with a media nozzle for feeding a media flow to the plasma zone, is characterized in that the media nozzle (7) is designed so that it is focussed toward the plasma zone (4). The focussing is effected by a tapering (6) of the media nozzle (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Richard Schmidt, Karsten Bräuer
  • Publication number: 20120312054
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for making an optical fiber preform at low cost avoiding the apparatus from being damaged are provided. Apparatus for making an optical fiber preform by depositing glass particles on the circumferential surface of a glass rod comprises: a chamber, a plasma torch, a glass particle supplying part, a composition modification gas supplying part, and an exhaust part. The chamber surrounds the heating portion of the glass rod heated by the plasma torch. The plasma torch heats the glass particles by a plasma flame. The glass particle supplying part introduces glass particles towards the heating portion of the glass rod in the chamber. The composition modification gas supplying part introduces composition modification gas into the chamber in order to modify the composition of the glass particles to be deposited on the heating portion of the glass rod in the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tetsuya NAKANISHI
  • Patent number: 8315493
    Abstract: The specification describes an improved optical fiber produced by a hybrid VAD/MCVD process. The core of the fiber is produced using VAD and the inner cladding layer has a depressed index and is produced using MCVD. In preferred embodiments, the optical power envelope is essentially entirely contained in VAD produced core material and the MCVD produced depressed index cladding material. Optical loss is minimized by confining most of the optical power to the VAD core where OH presence is low, as well as by maximizing the optical power in the un-doped silica region. The MCVD substrate tube material is essentially devoid of optical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: OFS Fitel LLC
    Inventors: Lance Gibson, David Peckham, Robert Lingle, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8295668
    Abstract: The specification describes an improved optical fiber produced by a hybrid VAD/MCVD process. The core of the fiber is produced using VAD and the inner cladding layer has a depressed index and is produced using MCVD. In preferred embodiments, the optical power envelope is essentially entirely contained in VAD produced core material and the MCVD produced depressed index cladding material. Optical loss is minimized by confining most of the optical power to the VAD core where OH presence is low, as well as by maximizing the optical power in the un-doped silica region. The MCVD substrate tube material is essentially devoid of optical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: OFS Fitel LLC
    Inventors: Lance Gibson, David Peckham, Robert Lingle, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20120263428
    Abstract: A large mode field active optical fiber and manufacture method thereof is provided. The large mode field active optical fiber is formed by drawing a fiber core (1), a quartz glass internal cladding (2), a quartz glass outer cladding (3), and a coating (4). The quartz glass internal cladding (2), the quartz glass outer cladding (3), and the coating (4) are sequentially coated on the outer surface of the fiber core (1). The fiber core (1) is formed by depositing, melting, and shrinking the tetrachlorosilane doped with rare earth ions in a quartz glass tube. The refractive index of the fiber core (1) is a graded refractive index, and the section parameter a thereof is 1???3. The appearance of the quartz glass inner cladding (2) is regular multi-prism shaped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventors: Wei Chen, Shiyu Li, Daoyu Lei, Dongxiang Wang, Wenyong Luo, Wenjun Huang, Fuming Hu, Peng Hu
  • Publication number: 20120240636
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical preform via an internal vapour deposition process, wherein during the inside deposition process the velocity of the reaction zone is set so that the velocity of the reaction zone over the length of the supply side-to-discharge side is higher than the velocity of the reaction zone over the length of the discharge side-to-supply side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: Draka Comteq B.V.
    Inventors: Igor Milicevic, Mattheus Jacobus Nicolaas Van Stralen, Johannes Antoon Hartsuiker, Eugen Aldea, Eric Aloysius Kuijpers
  • Publication number: 20120224254
    Abstract: An amplifying optical fiber includes an inner core, an inner cladding, a depressed trench, and an outer cladding (e.g., an outer optical cladding). Typically, the inner core includes a main matrix (e.g., silica-based) doped with at least one rare earth element. The depressed trench typically has a volume integral V13 of between about ?2200×10?3 ?m2 and ?1600×10?3 ?m2. Exemplary embodiments of the amplifying optical fiber are suitable for use in a compact configuration and high power applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: DRAKA COMTEQ, B.V.
    Inventors: Ekaterina Burov, Alain Pastouret, Louis-Anne de Montmorillon, Aurelien Bergonzo
  • Patent number: 8252387
    Abstract: An isothermal, low pressure-based process of depositing material within a substrate has been developed, and is particularly useful in forming an optical fiber preform results in creating an extremely narrow reaction zone within which a more uniform and efficient deposition will occur. Sets of isothermal plasma operating conditions have been found that create a narrow deposition zone, assuring that the deposited material is clear glass rather than soot particles. The exhaust end of the tube is connected to a vacuum system which is in turn connected to a scrubber apparatus for removal and neutralization of reaction by-products. The operating conditions are selected such that the hot plasma does not transfer a substantial amount of heat to the substrate tube, where the presence of such heat has been found to result in vaporizing the reactant material (creating soot) and developing hot spots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: OFS Fitel, LLC
    Inventors: James W. Fleming, George J. Zydzik
  • Patent number: 8200057
    Abstract: A single mode fiber having a core, an inner cladding, a depressed cladding, and an outer cladding composed of pure silica glass. The core is surrounded in sequence with the inner cladding and the depressed cladding. The core has silica glass doped with germanium and fluorine, with a diameter (a) of 8.0-8.8 ?m, a relative refractive index difference (?1) of 0.35-0.38%, and the contribution of fluoride (?F) is ?0.09±0.02%. The inner cladding has silica glass doped with germanium and fluorine, with a diameter (b) of 18-21 ?m and a relative refractive index difference (?2) of 0±0.02%. The depressed cladding has silica glass doped with fluorine, with a diameter (c) of 26-36 ?m and a relative refractive index difference (?32) at the external interface thereof is between ?0.22 and ?0.35%, and a relative refractive index difference (?31) at the internal interface thereof is between ?0.20 and ?0.35%, and ?32??31.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Qingrong Han, Chen Yang, Jing Li, Jie Luo
  • Patent number: 8168267
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a preform for optical fibers by a vapor deposition process wherein an intermediate step is carried out between one deposition phase and the next deposition phase(s), wherein the intermediate step includes supplying an etching gas to the supply side of the hollow substrate tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Draka Comteq B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Antoon Hartsuiker, Igor Milicevic, Mattheus Jacobus Nicolaas Van Stralen, Rob Hubertus Matheus Deckers, Marco Korsten
  • Publication number: 20120040184
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical fiber preform includes preparing from a first deposition tube a first rod that includes a central core and preparing from a second deposition tube a second rod that includes a buried trench. The method further includes fitting the second rod as a sleeve over the first rod. This disclosed method facilitates the manufacture of large-capacity fiber preforms using deposition benches having small and/or medium deposition capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: DRAKA COMTEQ B.V.
    Inventors: Louis-Anne de Montmorillon, Frans Gooijer, Pierre Sillard
  • Publication number: 20120036896
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a preform for optical fibres, wherein deposition of glass-forming compounds on the substrate takes place. The present invention furthermore relates to a method for manufacturing optical fibres, wherein one end of a solid preform is heated, after which an optical fibre is drawn from said heated end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: DRAKA COMTEQ B.V.
    Inventors: Dennis Robert Simons, Jelle Philip Terpsma, Frans Gooijer
  • Patent number: 8093165
    Abstract: The present invention provides a TiO2—SiO2 glass in which when used as an optical member for an exposure tool for EUVL, a thermal expansion coefficient is substantially zero at the time of irradiation with high-EUV energy light, and physical properties of a multilayer can be kept over a long period of time by releasing hydrogen from the glass. The present invention relates to a TiO2-containing silica glass having a fictive temperature of 1,100° C. or lower, a hydrogen molecule concentration of 1×1016 molecules/cm3 or more, and a temperature, at which a linear thermal expansion coefficient is 0 ppb/° C., falling within the range of from 40 to 110° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Akio Koike, Yasutomi Iwahashi, Shinya Kikugawa, Yuko Tachibana
  • Publication number: 20110302966
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a primary preform for optical fibres, using an internal vapour deposition process, wherein a gas flow of doped undoped glass-forming gases is supplied to the interior of a hollow substrate tube having a supply side and a discharge side via the supply side thereof, wherein deposition of glass layers on the interior of the substrate tube is effected as a result of the presence of a reaction zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: DRAKA COMTEQ B.V.
    Inventors: Igor MILICEVIC, Mattheus Jacobus Nicolaas VAN STRALEN, Eugen ALDEA
  • Patent number: 8073301
    Abstract: The specification describes an improved optical fiber produced by a hybrid VAD/MCVD process. The core of the fiber is produced using VAD and the inner cladding layer has a depressed index and is produced using MCVD. In preferred embodiments, the optical power envelope is essentially entirely contained in VAD produced core material and the MCVD produced depressed index cladding material. Optical loss is minimized by confining most of the optical power to the VAD core where OH presence is low, as well as by maximizing the optical power in the un-doped silica region. The MCVD substrate tube material is essentially devoid of optical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: OFS Fitel, LLC
    Inventors: Lance Gibson, David Peckham, Robert Lingle, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8065893
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for making silicon or silicon/germanium core fiber is described, which uses a plasma process with reducing agent to make a preform. The process also makes the recommendations in selecting the adequate cladding tube for better fiber properties. An improved fiber drawing apparatus is also disclosed in order to draw this new type of preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Inventor: Dau Wu
  • Patent number: 8051683
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a preform for optical fibers via a vapor deposition process in which the position of the reversal point near the substrate tube's supply side shifts along the longitudinal axis of the substrate tube during at least part of the deposition process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Draka Comteq, B.V.
    Inventors: Rob Hubertus Matheus Deckers, Marco Korsten, Robert Martinus Marie Cremers, Koen de Jongh
  • Publication number: 20110247368
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a primary preform for optical fibres using an internal vapour deposition process, including the steps of: i) providing a hollow glass substrate tube having a supply side and a discharge side, ii) surrounding at least part of the hollow glass substrate tube by a furnace, iii) supplying doped or undoped glass-forming gases to the interior of the hollow glass substrate tube via the supply side thereof, iv) creating a reaction zone in which conditions such that deposition of glass will take place on the interior of the hollow glass tube are created, and v) moving the reaction zone back and forth along the length of the hollow glass substrate tube between a reversal point located near the supply side and a reversal point located near the discharge side of the hollow glass substrate tube, wherein, during at least part of step v), the gas flow comprises a first concentration of fluorine-containing compound when the reaction zone is moving in the direction of the discharge side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: DRAKA COMTEQ B.V.
    Inventors: Igor MILICEVIC, Mattheus Jacobus Nicolaas VAN STRALEN, Johannes Antoon HARTSUIKER, Eugen ALDEA
  • Publication number: 20110247369
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a primary preform for optical fibres using an internal vapour deposition process, including the steps of: i) providing a hollow glass substrate tube having a supply side and a discharge side, ii) surrounding at least part of the hollow glass substrate tube by a furnace, iii) supplying a gas flow, doped or undoped, of glass-forming gases to the interior of the hollow glass substrate tube via the supply side thereof, iv) creating a reaction zone in which conditions such that deposition of glass will take place on the interior of the hollow glass tube are created, and v) moving the reaction zone back and forth in longitudinal direction over the hollow glass substrate tube between a reversal point located near the supply side and a reversal point located near the discharge side of the hollow glass substrate tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: DRAKA COMTEQ B.V.
    Inventors: Igor MILICEVIC, Mattheus Jacobus Nicolaas VAN STRALEN, Johannes Antoon HARTSUIKER, Eugen ALDEA, Eric Aloysius KUIJPERS
  • Patent number: 8028545
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a final optical fiber preform by overcladding, said method comprising the steps of providing a primary preform; positioning said primary preform within at least one tube, wherein the at least one tube partly covers the primary preform to create a zone to be overcladded, being an overclad zone, which overclad zone is located on the primary preform outside the at least one tube; injecting a gas into the annular space between the primary preform and the at least one tube under overpressure relative to the pressure outside the at least one tube; overcladding the primary preform in the overclad zone with an overcladding material using an overcladding device. The invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method. The invention allows overcladding a primary preform at low cost while maximally limiting the incorporation of impurities into the silica overclad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Draka Comteq B.V.
    Inventors: Emmanuel Petitfrere, Laurent Calvo, Cedric Gonnet
  • Publication number: 20110232332
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for making an optical fiber preform, including injecting a plasma gas source into the first end of a tubular member; generating a ring plasma flame with the plasma gas source flowing through a plasma gas feeder nozzle, the plasma gas feeder nozzle including: an inner tube, an outer tube, wherein the plasma gas source is injected between the inner tube and the outer tube to produce the ring plasma flame, such that at least a portion of the ring plasma flame is directed radially toward the inner surface of the tubular member; traversing the tubular member along the longitudinal axis relative to the plasma flame; depositing at least one soot layer on the interior surface of the tubular member by introducing reagent chemicals into the plasma flame; and fusing all of the soot layers into a glass material on the interior surface of the tubular member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Mikhail I. Guskov, Mohd A. Aslami, Evgueni B. Danilov, Dau Wu