With Dehydration (e.g., Oh Removal, Etc.) Patents (Class 65/422)
  • Patent number: 11214505
    Abstract: One aspect is a process to producing a synthetic quartz glass, including an annealing treatment that includes: putting a synthetic quartz glass as a parent material into a heat treatment furnace; elevating a temperature in the heat treatment furnace to a prescribed keeping temperature that is equal to or higher than the annealing point; keeping the keeping temperature; annealing the synthetic quartz glass; and taking the synthetic quartz glass out of the heat treatment furnace. The process includes determining an annealing rate v [° C./h] of the annealing step based on a value of S/V [mm2/mm3], wherein S [mm2] is the surface area of the synthetic quartz glass as a parent material and V [mm3] is the volume thereof and a target birefringence Re [nm/cm] for the synthetic quartz glass after the annealing, and the annealing step is performed at the determined annealing rate v.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignees: Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd., Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Manabu Utsumi
  • Patent number: 10829403
    Abstract: One embodiment of the disclosure relates to a method of cleaning silica-based soot or an article made of silica-based soot, the method comprising the step of treating silica-based soot or the article made of silica-based soot with at least one of the following compounds: (i) a mixture of CO and Cl2 in a carrier gas such that the total concentration of CO and Cl2 in the mixture is greater than 10% (by volume, in carrier gas) and the ratio of CO:Cl2 is between 0.25 and 5; (ii) CCl4 in a carrier gas, such that concentration CCl4 is greater than 1% (by volume, in carrier gas). Preferably, the treatment by CCl4 is performed at temperatures between 600° C., and 850° C. Preferably, the treatment with the CO and Cl mixture is performed at temperatures between 900° C. and 1200° C. The carrier gas may be, for example, He, Ar, N2, or the combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Nicolas LeBlond, Pushkar Tandon, Srinivas Vemury
  • Patent number: 10793466
    Abstract: A method of strengthening a silica soot compact is provided. The method includes forming a mixture of silica soot particles and nanoparticles, and forming a silica soot compact from the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Joel Edward Clinton, Yunfeng Gu, Ji Wang
  • Patent number: 9481599
    Abstract: A method of making a multimode optical fiber is disclosed. In one embodiment the method includes calculating a core radius that maximizes the bandwidth of the multimode optical fiber wherein the effect of draw tension is accounted for. The embodiments herein illustrate how core radius can be tuned so the time delay of the outermost guided mode group is reduced. The resultant core radius may be targeted for a value off-nominal from what would be expected for a particular commercial optical fiber type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Scott Robertson Bickham, Oleksandr Kogan, Ming-Jun Li, Snigdharaj Kumar Mishra, Pushkar Tandon
  • Patent number: 9067814
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing a synthetic quartz glass for excimer laser by depositing on a target silica particulates obtained by subjecting a silica raw material to vapor-phase hydrolysis or oxidative decomposition in an oxyhydrogen flame in a vacuum sintering furnace to form a porous silica base material, vitrifying the porous silica base material, and subjecting the vitrified material to hot forming, an annealing treatment and a hydrogen doping treatment, wherein the vitrification of the porous silica base material includes: (a) a step of holding a vacuum pressure at or below 20.0 Pa in a temperature range from 400° C., inclusive, to 900° C., exclusive; (b) a step of holding a vacuum pressure at or below 10.0 Pa in a temperature range from 900° C., inclusive, to 1100° C., exclusive; and (c) a step of holding a vacuum pressure at or below 3.0 Pa in a temperature range from 1100° C. to a transparent-vitrification temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Maida, Hisatoshi Otsuka
  • Publication number: 20150143852
    Abstract: A method for forming an optical glass preform from a soot preform is provided. The method includes forming a soot preform, placing the soot preform in a furnace, and applying a vacuum through a centerline hole of the soot preform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Dana Craig Bookbinder, Richard Michael Fiacco, Ming-Jun Li, Jeffery Scott Stone, Pushkar Tandon
  • Patent number: 8839645
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical fiber base material includes: forming a porous glass base material by depositing glass particles; providing a synthetic quartz glass vessel at least partly made of quartz glass which contains aluminum equal to or less than 0.01 ppm; introducing dehydration reaction gas and inert gas into the vessel; heating a portion made of quartz glass which contains aluminum equal to or less than 0.01 ppm in the vessel that contains the dehydration reaction gas and the inert gas; and inserting the porous glass base material into the heated vessel to dehydrate and sinter the porous glass base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dai Inoue, Hiroyuki Koide, Takaaki Nagao
  • 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: 20140174133
    Abstract: Methods for forming optical fiber preforms are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method for forming an optical fiber preform includes forming a preform core portion from silica-based glass soot. The silica-based glass soot may include at least one dopant species for altering an index of refraction of the preform core portion. A selective diffusion layer of silica-based glass soot may be formed around the preform core portion to form a soot preform. The selective diffusion layer may have an as-formed density greater than the density of the preform core portion. A diffusing species may be diffused through the selective diffusion layer into the preform core portion. The soot preform may be sintered such that the selective diffusion layer has a barrier density which is greater than the as-formed density and the selective diffusion layer prevents diffusion of the at least one dopant species through the selective diffusion layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Amanda Lee Billings, Liam Ruan de Paor, Robert Brett Desorcie, Robert Arnold Knowlton, Pushkar Tandon
  • Patent number: 8567217
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical fiber preform includes a process A of applying flame polishing to a center glass rod, a process B of determining a ratio ra/rb, which is a ratio of a radius ra of the center glass rod expressed in millimeters with respect to a radius rb of a target optical fiber preform expressed in millimeters, based on a refractive index profile of a target optical fiber preform, and a process C of determining an amount of fine glass particles to be deposited on the center glass rod so that a ratio ra/rb/c falls within a range from 0.002 to 0.01, where “c” is a maximum value of hydroxyl group concentration expressed in ppm in the vicinity of a boundary between the center glass rod and an outer layer, which is formed by depositing fine glass particles on the center rod and by being vitrified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: FUJIKURA Ltd.
    Inventors: Takakazu Gotoh, Naritoshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 8561431
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical fiber base material having very little impurity which deteriorates the transmission characteristic of an optical fiber is provided. The method of manufacturing an optical fiber base material including: producing a core member for the optical fiber base material by dehydrating and transparently vitrifying a base material formed by depositing glass particles; and drawing the core member and then adding a cladding thereto at a desired core to cladding ratio, wherein the dehydrating includes suspending the base material in a furnace tube having a heating region in a first atmosphere at a first temperature, the base material passing through the heating region as upwardly moving, and the transparently vitrifying includes situating the base material below once and then allowing the base material to pass through the heating region in a second atmosphere at a second temperature as upwardly moving again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dai Inoue
  • Patent number: 8393179
    Abstract: Method for producing a semifinished product from synthetic quartz glass Methods for producing a semifinished product from synthetic quartz glass by plastic deformation of a softened SiO2 mass in a melt mold are known. Starting from this, to avoid fusion defects as much as possible and to obtain semifinished products of quartz glass in a reproducibly high quality, a method is suggested that comprises the following steps: (a) providing a porous SiO2 soot body, (b) zonewise sintering of the SiO2 soot body in the melt mold at a sintering temperature and during a sintering period with formation of a completely sintered transparent quartz glass body, and directly thereafter (c) shaping the sintered quartz glass body by softening in the melt mold with formation of a viscous quartz glass mass which fills the volume of the melt mold entirely or partly, and (d) cooling the quartz glass mass and removing the mass from the melt mold with formation of the semifinished product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Sven Schmidt, Udo Peper, Andreas Helm, Juergen Roeper
  • Publication number: 20130025326
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for manufacturing a cylindrical glass optical waveguide preform having low water content for use in the manufacture of optical waveguide fiber. The glass optical waveguide preform has a water content sufficiently low such that an optical waveguide fiber producible from the glass optical waveguide preform exhibits an optical attenuation of less than about 0.35 dB/km, and preferably less than about 0.31 dB/km, at a measured wavelength of 1380 nm. Methods are also disclosed for manufacturing glass preforms used in the manufacture of such a glass optical waveguide preform that combine the vapor axial deposition (VAD) and outside vapor deposition (OVD) techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventor: Franklin W. Dabby
  • Publication number: 20120297837
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing glass preforms which is suitable for making an optical fiber having a less transmission loss in the wavelength band of 1.38 ?m. The glass-preform manufacturing method of the present invention enables making a glass preform through a fixing step, a deposition step, an extraction step, a vitrification step, and a collapsing step in the named order. At the vitrification step, a glass soot body 13 with an integral tubular handle 12 is put in a heating furnace 22 in which He gas and Cl2 gas are introduced, so that it is heated with a heater 23. Thus, a consolidated glass pipe 14 is produced. A dry gas is introduced in the heating furnace 22 upon production of the consolidated glass pipe 14, and the consolidated glass pipe 14 is cooled under the conditions where the humidity of atmosphere around the outer circumference of the consolidated glass pipe 14 is maintained at 0.1% or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES ,LTD.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Ishihara
  • Patent number: 8268740
    Abstract: A fused silica glass having a refractive index homogeneity of less or equal to about 5 ppm over an aperture area of at least about 50 cm2. The fused silica glass is also substantially free of halogens and has an adsorption edge of less than about 160 nm. The glass is dried by exposing a silica soot blank to carbon monoxide before consolidation, reducing the combined concentration of hydroxyl (i.e., OH, where H is protium (11H) and deuteroxyl (OD), where D is deuterium (12H)) of less than about 20 ppm by weight in one embodiment, less than about 5 ppm by weight in another embodiment, and less than about 1 ppm by weight in a third embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard Michael Fiacco, Kenneth Edward Hrdina, Rostislav Radievich Khrapko, Lisa Anne Moore, Charlene Marie Smith
  • Patent number: 8245542
    Abstract: A known method for producing synthetic quartz glass comprises the method steps: (a) forming a cylindrical SiO2 soot body having an inner portion and at least one free cylinder jacket surface surrounding the inner portion; (b) thermally drying the porous soot body; and (c) vitrifying the dried soot body with formation of the cylinder from synthetic quartz glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Stefan Ochs, Steffen Zwarg, Mirko Wittrin, Martin Trommer
  • Patent number: 8205472
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a cylindrical glass optical waveguide preform having a low water content centerline region, for use in the manufacture of optical waveguide fiber, is disclosed. The centerline region of the glass optical waveguide preform has a water content sufficiently low such that an optical waveguide fiber producible from the glass optical waveguide preform of the present invention exhibits an optical attenuation of less than about 0.35 dB/km, and preferably less than about 0.31 dB/km, at a measured wavelength of 1380 nm. Method of manufacture of a porous core mandrel used in the manufacture of such a glass optical waveguide preform is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: ASI/Silica Machinery, LLC
    Inventors: David McDonald Stirling, Franklin W. Dabby, Gordon Randall Gould, Henry Willner
  • Publication number: 20120118018
    Abstract: A porous layer is formed by depositing a silica glass particle around a core rod. The porous layer is dehydrated. The dehydrated porous layer is sintered under a decreased pressure until the dehydrated porous layer becomes a translucent glass layer containing a closed pore. The translucent glass layer is vitrified under an ambient atmosphere including an inert gas other than a helium gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: THE FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuaki ORITA, Akihiro KANAO, Hideya MORIDAIRA
  • Patent number: 8012894
    Abstract: A fused silica glass and a fused silica article having a combined concentration of at least one of OH and OD of up to about 50 ppm. The fused silica glass is formed by drying a fused silica soot blank or preform in an inert atmosphere containing a drying agent, followed by removal of residual drying agent from the dried soot blank by heating the dried soot blank in an atmosphere comprising an inert gas and of oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Dana Craig Bookbinder, Richard Michael Fiacco, Kenneth Edward Hrdina, Rostislav Radievich Khrapko
  • Publication number: 20110167874
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a cylindrical glass optical waveguide preform having a low water content centerline region, for use in the manufacture of optical waveguide fiber, is disclosed. The centerline region of the glass optical waveguide preform has a water content sufficiently low such that an optical waveguide fiber producible from the glass optical waveguide preform of the present invention exhibits an optical attenuation of less than about 0.35 dB/km, and preferably less than about 0.31 dB/km, at a measured wavelength of 1380 nm. Method of manufacture of a porous core mandrel used in the manufacture of such a glass optical waveguide preform is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Inventors: David McDonald Stirling, Franklin W. Dabby, Gordon Randall Gould, Henry Willner
  • Patent number: 7946132
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical fiber preform and an optical fiber preform apparatus are provided which can reduce hydroxyl groups in an optical fiber preform to a sufficient level without requiring any special equipment or operating conditions. When an optical fiber preform is manufactured by the vapor-phase deposition method, the dehydrating treatment is performed on a porous core preform that is obtained by depositing glass microparticles. In this treatment, a dehydrating agent is supplied to a dehydration apparatus through a feeding pipe and a main feeding pipe made of a material having a water permeance factor of 1.0×10?11 g·cm/cm2·s·cmHg or less, thereby manufacturing an optical fiber preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Saitou, Shunichirou Hirafune
  • Patent number: 7930905
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a cylindrical glass optical waveguide preform having a low water content centerline region, for use in the manufacture of optical waveguide fiber, is disclosed. The centerline region of the glass optical waveguide preform has a water content sufficiently low such that an optical waveguide fiber producible from the glass optical waveguide preform of the present invention exhibits an optical attenuation of less than about 0.35 dB/km, and preferably less than about 0.31 dB/km, at a measured wavelength of 1380 nm. Method of manufacture of a porous core mandrel used in the manufacture of such a glass optical waveguide preform is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: ASI/Silica Machinery, LLC
    Inventors: David McDonald Stirling, Franklin W. Dabby, Gordon Randall Gould, Henry Willner
  • Patent number: 7921676
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical fiber preform and an optical fiber preform apparatus are provided which can reduce hydroxyl groups in an optical fiber preform to a sufficient level without requiring any special equipment or operating conditions. When an optical fiber preform is manufactured by the vapor-phase deposition method, the dehydrating treatment is performed on a porous core preform that is obtained by deposing glass microparticles. In this treatment, a dehydrating agent is supplied to a dehydration apparatus through a feeding pipe and a main feeding pipe made of a material having a water permeance factor of 1.0×10?11 g·cm/cm2·s·cmHg or less, thereby manufacturing an optical fiber preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Saitou, Shunichirou Hirafune
  • Patent number: 7908888
    Abstract: A process for producing a low-attenuation optical fiber by producing a soot core preform by chemical deposition on a substrate; removing the substrate from the soot core preform, thereby forming a central hole along the soot preform; drying and consolidating the soot core preform in a consolidation furnace to form a glass core preform; heating the glass preform in the consolidation furnace above a glass melting temperature to produce a reduction of the diameter of the central hole; and stretching the glass core preform to completely close the central hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Prysmian Cavi E Sistemi Energia S.R.L.
    Inventors: Antonio Adigrat, Stefano Grieco, Valeria Caronna, Giuseppe Ferri, Franco Cocchini
  • Patent number: 7849714
    Abstract: A dehydration-sintering furnace includes a core tube configured to dehydrate and sinter a porous base material in fabrication of an optical fiber and having an outlet configured to discharge a vapor. The furnace includes a pressure-variation damper connected to the outlet of the core tube. The furnace includes a trap between the core tube and the pressure-variation damper for collecting the vapor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Saitou, Naritoshi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20100307197
    Abstract: A known method for producing synthetic quartz glass comprises the method steps: (a) forming a cylindrical SiO2 soot body having an inner portion and at least one free cylinder jacket surface surrounding the inner portion; (b) thermally drying the porous soot body; and (c) vitrifying the dried soot body with formation of the cylinder from synthetic quartz glass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Stefan Ochs, Steffen Zwarg, Mirko Wittrin, Martin Trommer
  • Patent number: 7707855
    Abstract: A known method for producing synthetic quartz glass with a predetermined hydroxyl group content comprises the following steps: a porous SiO2 soot body is produced by flame hydrolysis or oxidation of a silicon-containing start compound and by layerwise deposition of SiO2 particles on a rotating support; the soot body is subjected to a dehydration treatment in a reaction gas-containing drying atmosphere at a drying temperature for removing hydroxyl groups; and the SiO2 soot body is vitrified into a body consisting of the synthetic quartz glass. Starting from this, and in order to permit a reproducible and reliable manufacture of synthetic, UV-radiation resistant quartz glass with predetermined hydroxyl group content and low chlorine content, it is suggested according to the invention that the dehydration treatment according to method step (b) comprises a drying phase during which ozone is used as the reaction gas, whereby the ozone content of the drying atmosphere is between 0.5% by vol. and 10% by vol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Stephan Ochs, Bodo Kuehn
  • Patent number: 7698908
    Abstract: A glass base material, which is a base material of an optical fiber, comprising: a core; and a clad surrounding the core; wherein: a rate of change in a relative-refractive-index-difference between the core and the clad in a longitudinal direction of the glass base material is substantially 6% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Oyamada
  • Patent number: 7552601
    Abstract: Starting from an optical component of quartz glass for transmitting ultraviolet radiation of a wavelength between 190 nm and 250 nm, with a glass structure essentially without oxygen defects, a hydrogen content ranging from 0.1×1016 molecules/cm3 to 5.0×1016 molecules/cm3, and with a content of SiH groups of less than 5×1016 molecules/cm3, to provide such a component which is particularly well suited for use with linearly polarized UV laser radiation, the present invention suggests that the component should have a content of hydroxyl groups ranging from 10 to 250 wt ppm and a fictive temperature above 1000° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Bodo Kühn, Stephan Thomas, Steffen Kaiser
  • Patent number: 7486862
    Abstract: A core rod is inserted into a cladding pipe, moisture in a space between the core rod and the cladding pipe is removed, and an optical fiber is drawn while the space is connected to a dry-gas atmosphere and/or being decompressed and while the core rod and the cladding pipe are being unified with each other. Alternatively, the core rod is inserted into the cladding pipe, and an optical fiber is drawn from one end while moisture on the surface of the core rod and the internal surface of the cladding pipe is being removed. Accordingly, a high quality optical fiber is manufactured with good productivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Ohga, Masashi Onishi, Osamu Kasuu, Shuichiro Kato, Toru Adachi, Takashi Sasaki, Masaaki Hirano
  • Publication number: 20080292881
    Abstract: The present invention provides a synthetic quartz glass having a diameter of 100 mm or more for using in an optical apparatus comprising a light source emitting a light having a wavelength of 250 nm or less, the synthetic quartz glass having, in a region located inward from the periphery thereof by 10 mm or more in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the synthetic quartz glass: a birefringence of 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: ASAHI GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Masaaki TAKATA, Noriyuki AGATA, Tomonori OGAWA, Kei IWATA
  • Patent number: 7404302
    Abstract: A method for deposition glass soot for making an optical fiber preform. A fuel and a glass precursor are flowed to a burner flame forming glass soot which is deposited onto a glass target. By first depositing an insulating layer of glass soot with a low velocity burner flame, the amount of water which may be adsorbed into the surface of the glass target can be reduced. Thereafter, the flame velocity may be increased to increase the deposition rate of the glass soot without significantly increasing the concentration of water incorporated into the glass target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Jitendra Balakrishnan, Steven A Dunwoody, Pushkar Tandon
  • Patent number: 7387000
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a silica glass tube which is characterized by depositing SiO2 particles on an elongate support that rotates about its longitudinal axis, thereby producing a porous with a cylindrical inner bore. Said blank is vertically aligned, suspended in a furnace using a suspension that engages with a constriction in the upper zone of the inner bore of the blank, and vitrified. The aim of the invention is to provided a method with which also heavy blanks can be secured safely and substantially without any danger of contaminations of the inner bore without using complicated securing devices. To this end, the constriction (6b) is generated by shaping the inner bore (7) when the SiO2 particles are deposited. For vitrification a suspension (8; 9; 10) is used that supports itself on the constriction (6b) and that otherwise projects into the cylindrical inner bore (7) without having any contact therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gerhard Kotulla, Klaus Ruppert
  • Patent number: 7089766
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus and precursors for producing substantially water-free silica soot, preforms and glass. The methods and apparatus make substantially water-free fused silica preforms or glass by removing water as a reaction product, removing water from the atmosphere, removing water from the transport process, or combinations thereof. In a first embodiment, substantially water-free soot, preforms or glass are achieved by using a hydrogen-free fuel, such as carbon monoxide, in the deposition process. In another embodiment, a soot producing burner has parameters that enable operation on a substantially hydrogen-free fuel. End burners, which minimize water production, are also described. Such water-free methods are useful in depositing fluorine-doped soot because of the low water present and the efficiency in which fluorine is incorporated. In another embodiment, glassy barrier layer methods and apparatus are described for minimizing dopant migration, especially fluorine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Inventors: Gerald E. Burke, Steven B. Dawes, V. Srikant, Pushkar Tandon
  • Patent number: 7089765
    Abstract: On the basis of a known process for the production of a preform for an optical fiber for optical data transmission technology, the productivity of the process for the production of complex refractive index profiles is to be improved by providing a quartz glass substrate tube which exhibits different doping in radial direction, introducing a core glass made of synthetic quartz glass into the substrate tube and covering the substrate tube with a jacket tube. A substrate tube suitable therefor is also being provided which tube requires less core glass material for the production of the preform, whether during the internal deposition or for the core glass rod in the rod-in-tube technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignees: Heraeus Tenevo GmbH, Furukawa Electric North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Hartwig Schaper, Norbert Treber, Oliver Humbach, Uwe Haken, Donald Paul Jablonowski
  • Patent number: 6935050
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing an optical fiber preform including a metal remover, which operates by adsorption, that removes gaseous transition metal impurities present in a process gas to be provided to a furnace for drying, doping or consolidation. The apparatus and method may reduce attenuation of the resultant optical fiber drawn from the preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Dana C. Bookbinder, Richard M. Fiacco, Cynthia B. Giroux
  • Patent number: 6904772
    Abstract: Optical waveguide fiber having low water peak as well as optical waveguide fiber preforms and methods of making optical waveguide fiber preforms from which low water peak and/or low hydrogen aged attenuation optical waveguide fibers are formed, including optical waveguide fiber and preforms made via OVD. The fibers may be hydrogen resistant, i.e. exhibit low hydrogen aged attenuation. A low water peak, hydrogen resistant optical waveguide fiber is disclosed which exhibits an optical attenuation at a wavelength of about 1383 nm which is less than or equal to an optical attenuation exhibited at a wavelength of about 1310 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: George E. Berkey, Dana C. Bookbinder, Richard M. Fiacco, Dale R. Powers
  • Patent number: 6889529
    Abstract: A method for producing an optical fiber preform is provided in which the variation of the outer diameter in the longitudinal direction is minimized and a target quantity of glass is accumulated as a whole. Based on a predetermined relationship between three variables: the outer diameter of a starting rod being a first variable, the outer diameter of an optical fiber preform a second variable, and the timing for ending the glass particles depositing process a third variable, the starting rod and burners are subjected to relative reciprocating movement so as to deposit glass particles on the starting rod until the timing for ending the depositing process, and then the resulting deposit body is vitrified. The third variable may be the traverse velocity, the glass particles deposition time, or the weight of a soot glass deposit body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Ooishi, Yuichi Ohga, Yoshio Yokoyama, Motonori Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6843076
    Abstract: A method of making an optical waveguide preform includes forming a preform including a first portion and a second radial portion, wherein the second portion includes a dopant, and wherein the first portion exhibits a density greater than the second portion. The method further includes stripping at least a portion of the dopant from the second portion. In a preferred embodiment, the stripped dopant has migrated in a previous processing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven B. Dawes, Michael T. Murtagh, Pushkar Tandon
  • Patent number: 6817213
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating an optical fiber preform and a method of fabricating an optical fiber of the invention realize the fabrication of an optical fiber having desirable transmission characteristics in the entire wavelength rage of about 1.3 to 1.6 &mgr;m. The fabrication method comprises a porous core rod producing step of depositing a first cladding (3) having an outer diameter D so as to surround a core (2) having an outer diameter d to produce a porous core rod (1) of D/d≧4.0 by VAD. Then, the porous core rod (1) is dehydrated to reduce the OH group concentration to 0.8 ppb or less by weight ratio. The porous core rod (1) is formed to be transparent for a vitrified core rod (4) and is heated and stretched. Thereafter, a second cladding is obtained by depositing a second porous cladding (5) around the vitrified core rod (4) by VAD to be dehydrated, transparent and vitrified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: The Fukukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Ishida
  • Publication number: 20040206129
    Abstract: A method for fabricating fluorine doped, silica based glass and fiber by depositing a layer of high purity silica soot on a core rod while rotating the core rod places the rod of pure fused silica or doped fused silica and silica soot in a furnace having a lining of Al2O3, elevates the temperature in a fluorine rich atmosphere to establish the proper differential in the indices of refraction between the core start rod and the deposited layer, and heats the resulting rod at consolidation temperatures in an atmosphere of helium to form a preform. The apparatus includes a furnace having a lining of high purity alumina that is resistant to chemical etching and change normally due to the fluorine and chlorine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventor: Franklin W. Dabby
  • Publication number: 20040200241
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a glass base material for an optical fiber by forming a core rod having a core section and a portion of a clad, forming an additional clad by depositing glass particles on circumference of the core rod, and performing a sintering and vitrifying process on an obtained porous base material, includes the step of forming the core rod in order that the relation 3.75≦a/m≦6 is satisfied, where ‘a’ denotes an outer diameter of a section corresponding to the core rod, and ‘m’ denotes a mode field diameter at 1385 nm in wavelength with regard to the optical fiber obtained by drawing the glass base material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Applicant: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Otosaka, Dai Inoue, Hiroshi Oyamada, Hideo Hirasawa
  • Patent number: 6776012
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a method for making optical fiber having reduced aging or hydrogen aging loss over the life of the fiber and optical fiber systems including such optical fibers. The method includes the steps of dehydrating an optical fiber glass core rod in a first environment including oxygen and at least one of chlorine-containing gases, fluorine-containing gases and carbon monoxide; and adjusting the oxygen stoichiometry of the first environment so that it is neither oxygen-rich nor oxygen-deficient. Improved silicon-oxygen stoichiometry during one or more preform manufacturing steps reduces the amount of Si defects generated in the optical fiber preform. Also, deuterium exposure of optical fiber drawn from the preform reduces the likelihood of having atomic defects such as Si defects in the optical fiber that, over time, attract and bond with hydrogen atoms to form molecules that contribute to increased water absorption loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Fitel USA Corp.
    Inventors: Kai H Chang, David Kalish, Thomas John Miller
  • Publication number: 20040144134
    Abstract: A glass tube for use in an optical fiber preform is produced by applying a first soot on an end face of a starting member to form an elongated, porous cylindrical soot core having a first density, and applying a second soot including SiO2 on the periphery of the soot core to form a porous soot cladding having a second density greater than that of the soot core at the periphery of the core. The core and the cladding are later heated together at a temperature sufficient for sintering to form a core glass and a cladding glass. Because the soot core collapses at a greater rate than the soot cladding during sintering, the core glass separates or delaminates radially from the cladding glass. The core glass is then removed from the surrounding cladding glass, and the latter is treated to provide a high purity glass tube suitable for use as part of an optical fiber preform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Applicant: Fitel USA Corp.
    Inventors: Thomas E. McDonald, Fengqing Wu
  • Publication number: 20040060327
    Abstract: A method of forming an optical fiber preform that includes providing a consolidated glass preform, depositing a layer of silica soot onto the consolidated glass preform to form a composite preform having a consolidated glass portion and a silica soot portion, and exposing the composite preform to an atmosphere containing a concentration of a deuterium compound for a time and at a temperature sufficient to cause the deuterium compound to penetrate the consolidated glass portion without pervading the entire glass portion. Preferably, the deuterium compound penetrates the glass portion to a desired depth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: George E Berkey, Dana C Bookbinder, Richard M Fiacco, Jeffrey T Kohli, Dale R Powers
  • Patent number: 6698249
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to reduce the adhesion of floating glass particulates to the surface of a soot preform during the manufacture of the soot preform, thereby reducing the voids generated in the transparent glass preform made from the soot preform, and to improve the quality of the optical fiber manufactured from the transparent glass preform. The equipment of the invention is equipped with a reaction vessel 1, a burner 2 provided within the reaction vessel 1 into which raw material gas and combustion gas are supplied so as to generate glass particulates by hydrolysis reaction, and a starting rod 5 onto which the glass particulates generated by the burner 2 are deposited. By drawing up the starting rod 5 while turning it around its axis, the glass particulates are deposited on the tip of or around the starting rod 5 to form a soot preform 6 in column-like shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanta Yagi, Sumio Hoshino, Wataru Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20040028364
    Abstract: The optical fiber which enables the optical fiber transmission stabilized in the wavelength range of the pump light also, which is not used conventionally, and suppresses the non-linear effect on the occasion of WDM transmission is offered. The optical fiber for WDM transmission has at least three or more layers wherein the first core doped with germanium is located at the center and surrounded by the second core having a refractive index lower than the first core, and cladding having a refractive index lower than the first core and higher than second core surrounds the second or last core layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Hideya Moridaira, Mitsuhiro Kawasaki, Tamotsu Kamiya
  • Publication number: 20040011081
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a method for making optical fiber having reduced aging or hydrogen aging loss over the life of the fiber and optical fiber systems including such optical fibers. Improved silicon-oxygen stoichiometry during one or more preform manufacturing steps reduces the amount of Si defects generated in the optical fiber preform. Also, deuterium exposure of optical fiber drawn from the preform reduces the likelihood of having atomic defects such as Si defects in the optical fiber that, over time, attract and bond with hydrogen atoms to form molecules that contribute to increased water absorption loss. The inventive method produces optical fibers with improved transmission characteristics, e.g., optical fibers made by methods according to embodiments of the invention have transmission loss at 1385 nanometers that is less than 0.33 dB/km and the aging loss increase thereafter is less than 0.04 dB/km.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Inventors: Kai H. Chang, David Kalish, Thomas John Miller
  • Publication number: 20040007026
    Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a glass preform through a heating process of heating a glass particles deposit including a clad partially while moving it successively in a longitudinal direction to form the glass particles deposit, and vitrifying the glass particles deposit to form the glass preform, wherein a chlorine based gas is preferably included at least in the atmosphere of a furnace tube 2 to vitrify the glass preform 9 in the process of heating the glass particles deposit while moving at least the glass particles deposit upward or downward, using a lift 7 for traversing the glass particles deposit (glass preform 9) upward or downward throughout the process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Inventor: Tomohiro Ishihara
  • Patent number: RE39535
    Abstract: This invention relates to the production of high purity fused silica glass through oxidation or flame hydrolysis of a vaporizable silicon-containing compound. More particularly, this invention is directed to the use of vaporizable, halide-free compounds in said production. In the preferred practice, a polymethylsiloxane comprises said vaporizable, halide-free compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael S. Dobbins, Robert E. McLay