Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for processing an optical fiber preform are disclosed. According to one aspect, an apparatus may generally include a muffle defining an interior volume enclosed by at least one sidewall and a handle assembly for supporting the optical fiber preform in the muffle. The handle assembly may be removably coupled to the muffle and extend into the interior volume. At least one baffle may be positioned in the interior volume and define an upper portion of the interior volume and a lower portion of the interior volume. The at least one baffle may define at least one flow channel between the upper portion of the interior volume and the lower portion of the interior volume.

Abstract: A processing fixture can be employed for processing a glass cover plate and include: a fixture body, a first sensing component, a roller component, and a control module connected with the first sensing component. The fixture body is made from flexible materials and provided with a positioning groove matched with shape of an outer surface of the glass cover plate. The first sensing component is configured to detect current dimension parameter of the glass cover plate and/or an attaching layer attached to the glass cover plate in the positioning groove, and transmit the detected current dimension parameter to the control module. The control module is configured to control cooperation of the roller component and the fixture body according to the current dimension parameter, so as to correct the current dimension parameter of the glass cover plate or the attaching layer as a target dimension parameter.

Abstract: A system for processing an optical fiber includes: a draw furnace, the draw furnace containing an optical fiber preform; a bare optical fiber drawn from the optical fiber preform, the bare optical fiber extending from the draw furnace along a process pathway; and a slow cooling device operatively coupled to and downstream from the draw furnace, the slow cooling device exposing the bare optical fiber to a slow cooling device process temperature in the range form 1000° C. to 1400° C., wherein the bare optical fiber passes through the slow cooling device at least two times.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a porous glass preform includes depositing glass particles on an outer periphery of a target rod while a burner for synthesizing glass particles and the target rod that is rotating are relatively reciprocated, wherein V and r are gradually reduced while a variation in sweeping pitch P [mm] expressed as V/r is caused to be within a range of a central value±10% when a glass particle deposition layer of a portion satisfying a relation 0.5 L?R?0.8 L is synthesized; where a final outer diameter of the manufactured porous glass preform for an optical fiber is L [mm], an outer diameter of a glass particle deposition body in the middle of the manufacture is R [mm], a rotating speed of the target rod is r [rpm], and a relative moving speed between the target rod and the burner is V [mm/min.].

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.

Abstract: A system for processing optical fiber includes a draw furnace, a fiber conveyance pathway extending between an upstream end positioned at the draw furnace and a downstream end positioned opposite the upstream end, where optical fiber is conveyed along the fiber conveyance pathway from the upstream end to the downstream end in a fiber conveyance direction, a muffle in communication with the draw furnace and positioned downstream of the draw furnace, a second cooling device annularly surrounding the fiber conveyance pathway downstream from the draw furnace, the second cooling device including one or more second cooling device heating elements and a first cooling device positioned between the draw furnace and the second cooling device, wherein the first cooling device directs a fluid to contact the optical fiber.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for processing optical fiber preforms are disclosed. According to one aspect, an apparatus generally includes a furnace body and a muffle disposed within the furnace body. A space between the muffle and the furnace body defines a first interior volume. The muffle defines a second interior volume sealed from the first interior volume. An annulus gas is supplied to the first interior volume and a process gas is supplied to the second interior volume. A differential pressure gauge is coupled to the interior volumes. A flow controller is coupled to at least one of the gas sources and to the differential pressure gauge. The flow controller receives a differential pressure signal from the differential pressure gauge and adjusts a flow of a gas such that the pressure differential between the first interior volume and the second interior volume is minimized.

Abstract: A method of measuring an axis angle of a toric contact lens including a posterior toric central zone having a cylindrical axis, and an anterior lens surface forming a ballast that has an axis of orientation offset from the cylindrical axis at a selected rotational angle is disclosed.

Abstract: A furnace system includes a muffle defining a furnace cavity. A lower heater is coupled to the muffle and is configured to create a hot zone within the furnace cavity having a temperature of about 1900° C. or greater. An upper muffle extension is positioned above the muffle and defines a handle cavity. A downfeed handle is positioned within the handle cavity such that a gap is defined between an outer surface of the downfeed handle and an inner surface of the upper muffle extension. An upper heater is thermally coupled to the upper muffle extension and configured to heat the gap. A gas screen is positioned in the upper muffle extension and is configured to inject a process gas into the handle cavity.

Abstract: Gyroscopes are sensors that measure angular rate and angular orientation. A three-dimensional fused silica micro shell rate-integrating gyroscope is presented. One aspect of the gyroscope includes the use of optical sensors to detect motion of the resonator. The proposed gyroscope is attractive because it achieves several magnitudes higher accuracy as well as high vibration and shock insensitivity from a novel resonator design as well as other unique manufacturing processes.

Abstract: An articulated lower mold arrangement for use with an upper mold includes a mold portion configured to bend a heated glass sheet. The mold portion has a first end, a sharp bend area proximate the first end for bending an end portion of the glass sheet, and a second end opposite the first end and spaced away from the sharp bend area. The arrangement may further include a first guide member connected to the mold portion at a first location proximate the first end, and a second guide member connected to the mold portion at a second location proximate the second end and spaced away from the sharp bend area. The mold portion and the guide members are cooperable to allow the first end of the mold portion to move from a lowered position to a raised position in order to move the end portion of the glass sheet upwardly.

Abstract: A glass tube semi-finished product or a hollow glass product manufactured from the glass tube semi-finished product is provided with a first marking with information on the origin and/or tube-specific production data of the glass tube semi-finished product, which marking is read from the hollow glass product after its manufacture to determine the origin and/or the tube-specific production data of the glass tube semi-finished product, e.g., to identify the semi-finished glass tube from which the hollow glass product has been made, and/or trace the tube-specific production data of this glass tube semi-finished product. This means that the entire supply chain for the hollow glass product from the supplier of the originally used glass tube semi-finished product up to the end product can be determined. The physical and chemical characteristics of the glass tube semi-finished product are not altered for producing the first marking.

Abstract: A method of forming a strengthened glass article is provided. The method includes providing a strengthened glass article. The strengthened glass article is in the form of a container including a sidewall having an exterior surface and an interior surface that encloses an interior volume. The sidewall has an exterior strengthened surface layer that includes the exterior surface, an interior strengthened surface layer that includes the interior surface and a central layer between the exterior strengthened surface layer and the interior strengthened surface layer that is under a tensile stress. A laser-induced intended line of separation is formed in the central layer at a predetermined depth between the exterior strengthened surface layer and the interior strengthened surface layer by irradiating the sidewall with a laser without separating the glass article.

Abstract: A method for preparing all-solid-state photonic crystal fiber preform by extrusion by aligning the center of the first jacking end of the first jacking rod with the center of the core outlet mold. The adverse effect on this part of extruded core glass by oxygen or other impurities in air during the extrusion out of the core outlets can be avoided. The defects on the core glass surface and the cladding glass surface can be effectively removed, and the purity and quality of the core component in the obtained fiber preform can be improved.

Abstract: A multiple tube burner for synthesizing a porous material includes three or more glass tubes are arranged coaxially with one another, the glass tubes having a substantially circular shape on a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction. Out of the three or more glass tubes, a first glass tube and a second glass tube that is arranged on an outer side of the first glass tube are connected with each other on a gas introducing side, and a thickness near a joint portion of the second glass tube connected with the first glass tube is thicker than a thickness of the second glass tube on the gas spouting side.

Abstract: An optical fiber manufacturing method includes a first process of passing a glass fiber through a fiber path. The fiber path is formed through a cooling tube that is housed in a first casing. The method also includes a second process of leading the glass fiber into a second casing before leading into the first casing. The first process includes supplying a first dry gas, having a dew point lower than the temperature of the cooling tube, into a first dry space formed between the first casing and the cooling tube. The second process includes supplying a second dry gas into a second dry space formed inside the second casing so as to cause air pressure in the second dry space to be higher than air pressure in an external space. The dew point of the second dry gas is lower than the dew point in the external space.

Abstract: An optical fiber draw system and method of operating thereof. The method includes positioning a downfeed handle for supporting an optical fiber preform within a furnace such that the downfeed handle is movable within the furnace. The method further includes operating one or more heating elements to thermally heat at least a portion of an upper muffle extension disposed within the furnace, the one or more heating elements being moveable with the downfeed handle.

Abstract: The invention discloses a preparation method and device of active microcrystalline fiber, place the prefabricated rod in the drawing furnace for wire drawing, the drawn fiber is induced by magnetic field in uncoated state and combined with laser treatment technology, the laser beam is focused on the fiber and recrystallized after laser treatment to obtain active microcrystalline fiber. Appropriate laser processing power directly affects the silicate glass fiber in the crystal structure, type, degree of crystallinity, grain size, content, and how much residual phase of glass. Induced by external magnetic field, the thermodynamics and dynamics of crystallization process are changed, make the crystal size distribution is better and uniform, reduce the phenomenon of condensation and makes the grain size is smaller.

Abstract: One aspect relates to a process for the preparation of a quartz glass body. The process includes providing silicon dioxide particles, making a glass melt out of the silicon dioxide particles in an oven and making a quartz glass body out of at least part of the glass melt. The oven has a gas outlet through which gas is removed from the oven, wherein the dew point of the gas on exiting the oven through the gas outlet is less than 0° C. One aspect further relates to a quartz glass body which is obtainable by this process. One aspect further relates to a light guide, an illuminant and a formed body, which are each obtainable by further processing of the quartz glass body.

Abstract: One aspect relates to a process for the preparation of a quartz glass body including, providing a silicon dioxide granulate obtainable from a silicon dioxide powder, wherein the silicon dioxide granulate has a larger particle size than the silicon dioxide powder, making a 5 glass melt out of silicon dioxide granulate and making a quartz glass body out of at least part of the glass melt. The melting crucible has at least one inlet and at least one outlet. A least part of the glass melt is removed via the melting crucible outlet. One aspect further relates to a quartz glass body which is obtainable by this process. One aspect further relates to a light guide, an illuminant and a formed body, which are each obtainable by further processing 10 of the quartz glass body.