Abstract: A method of producing an optical fiber is provided that includes the steps of flowing a first gas into an optical fiber draw furnace. The first gas is passed through a heated section configured to contain and heat a glass source from which the optical fiber is drawn, passing the first gas through a muffle which defines a capture chamber. A portion of the first gas is removed through at least one reclaim port operatively coupled to the capture chamber. A second gas flows into a gas screen at a rate configured to substantially recover a pressure drop associated with removing the portion of the first gas.

Abstract: A method of producing an optical fiber is provided that includes the steps of flowing a first gas into an optical fiber draw furnace. The first gas is passed through a heated section configured to contain and heat a glass source from which the optical fiber is drawn, passing the first gas through a muffle which defines a capture chamber. A portion of the first gas is removed through at least one reclaim port operatively coupled to the capture chamber. A second gas flows into a gas screen at a rate configured to substantially recover a pressure drop associated with removing the portion of the first gas.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a glass laminate, including: a source of a glass core sheet; a source of a first force that tensions the glass core sheet in a first axial direction; a source of a second force that tensions the glass core sheet in a second axial direction; and at least one molten glass reservoir extending along a length of the apparatus and on opposite sides of the glass core sheet that delivers a source of at least two glass clads to the opposite side surfaces of the bi-axially tensioned glass core sheet. Also disclosed are methods for making a glass laminate sheet using the disclosed apparatus, as defined herein.

Abstract: A system and method of thermally tempering a glass laminate including a core layer and cladding layers fused to opposing sides of the core layer, the method including: preheating the glass laminate to a temperature between the annealing point and the softening point of the core layer; and selectively heating the glass laminate using microwave radiation, while actively cooling the glass laminate, such that a temperature differential of at least about 30° C. is generated between the core and cladding layers.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a glass laminate, including: a source of a glass core sheet; a source of a first force that tensions the glass core sheet in a first axial direction; a source of a second force that tensions the glass core sheet in a second axial direction; and at least one molten glass reservoir extending along a length of the apparatus and on opposite sides of the glass core sheet that delivers a source of at least two glass clads to the opposite side surfaces of the bi-axially tensioned glass core sheet. Also disclosed are methods for making a glass laminate sheet using the disclosed apparatus, as defined herein.

Abstract: A laminated glass article includes a glass core layer having a core modulus Ecore and a glass cladding layer adjacent to the core layer and having a cladding modulus Eclad. Eclad can be at least 5 GPa less than Ecore. A modulus ratio Ecore/Eclad can be at least 1.08. The cladding layer can have a compressive stress resulting from a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) contrast between the core layer and the cladding layer and/or subjecting the laminated glass article to an ion exchange treatment to form an ion exchanged region at an outer surface of the cladding layer.

Abstract: A method of forming an optical fiber preform includes the steps: igniting a burner having a fume tube assembly to produce a first spray size of silicon dioxide particles; depositing the silicon dioxide particles on a core cane to produce a soot blank; and adjusting an effective diameter of an aperture of the fume tube assembly to produce a second spray size of the silicon dioxide particles. The second spray size is larger than the first spray size.

Abstract: An optical fiber production system is provided which includes a slow-cooling device and a purge device positioned above the slow-cooling device. The purge device includes a tube defining an inlet. An optical fiber extends through the slow-cooling device and the purge device. The purge device is configured to inject a purge gas through the inlet and against the optical fiber.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides optical fiber preforms formed from core canes having large core-clad ratio, intermediate core-cladding assemblies, and methods for making the preforms and core cladding assemblies. The preforms are made from core canes having a contoured end surface. The contoured end surface(s) include a depression that acts to reduce the stress that develops at the junction of the end surface of the core cane with a soot cladding monolith arising from differences in the coefficient of thermal expansions of the core can and soot cladding monolith. The contoured end surface(s) leads to preforms having low defect concentration and low probability of failure during fiber draw.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for ion exchanging, e.g., chemically strengthening, a substrate, the methods comprising applying a first electrode to at least one first region on a first surface of the substrate and applying a second electrode to at least one second region on an opposing second surface of the substrate, wherein the substrate comprises mobile ions, e.g., metal ions chosen from alkali metal ions, alkaline earth metal ions, transition metal ions, and combinations thereof; applying voltage between the first and second electrodes sufficient to cause the mobile ions to migrate away from the at least one first region on the first surface; and treating the substrate by ion exchange, e.g., chemically strengthening the substrate. Also disclosed herein are substrates, e.g., glass, glass-ceramic, and ceramic substrates, produced by the methods disclosed herein.

Abstract: A laminated glass article has a first layer having a first ion exchange diffusivity, D0, and a second layer adjacent to the first layer and having a second ion exchange diffusivity, D1. D0/D1 is from about 1.2 to about 10, or D0/D1 is from about 0.05 to about 0.95. A method for manufacturing the laminated glass article includes forming a first layer having a first ion exchange diffusivity, D0, and forming a second layer adjacent to the first layer and having a second ion exchange diffusivity, D1. The laminated glass article can be strengthened by an ion exchange process to form a strengthened laminated glass article having a compressive stress layer with a depth of layer from about 8 ?m to about 100 ?m.

Abstract: A method of producing bi-modal particles includes the steps of igniting a first precursor gas using a primary burner thereby producing a first plurality of particles of a first size, fluidly transporting the first plurality of particles down a particle tube, igniting a second precursor gas using a secondary burner thereby producing a second plurality of particles of a second size, flowing the second plurality of particles into the first plurality of particles, and capturing the first and second plurality of particles.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides optical fiber preforms formed from core canes having large core-clad ratio, intermediate core-cladding assemblies, and methods for making the preforms and core cladding assemblies. The preforms are made from core canes having a contoured end surface. The contoured end surface(s) include a depression that acts to reduce the stress that develops at the junction of the end surface of the core cane with a soot cladding monolith arising from differences in the coefficient of thermal expansions of the core can and soot cladding monolith. The contoured end surface(s) leads to preforms having low defect concentration and low probability of failure during fiber draw.

Abstract: A method of producing an optical fiber is provided that includes the steps of flowing a first gas into an optical fiber draw furnace. The first gas is passed through a heated section configured to contain and heat a glass source from which the optical fiber is drawn, passing the first gas through a muffle which defines a capture chamber. A portion of the first gas is removed through at least one reclaim port operatively coupled to the capture chamber. A second gas flows into a gas screen at a rate configured to substantially recover a pressure drop associated with removing the portion of the first gas.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a glass laminate, including: a source of a glass core sheet; a source of a first force that tensions the glass core sheet in a first axial direction; a source of a second force that tensions the glass core sheet in a second axial direction; and at least one molten glass reservoir extending along a length of the apparatus and on opposite sides of the glass core sheet that delivers a source of at least two glass dads to the opposite side surfaces of the bi-axially tensioned glass core sheet. Also disclosed are methods for making a glass laminate sheet using the disclosed apparatus, as defined herein.

Abstract: A method for forming an optical fiber preform is provided. The method includes inserting a glass core cane into a glass sleeve such that the glass sleeve surrounds a portion of the glass core cane and such that there is a gap between the glass sleeve and the portion of the glass core cane surrounded by the glass sleeve. The method further includes depositing silica soot onto at least a portion of the glass core cane and at least a portion of the glass sleeve to form a silica soot preform, and flowing gas through the gap during processing of the silica soot preform.

Abstract: A method of forming an optical fiber includes the steps of forming a soot blank of a silica-based cladding material, wherein the soot blank has a top surface and a bulk density of between 0.8 g/cm2 and 1.6 g/cm3. At least one hole is drilled in the top surface of the soot blank. At least one core cane member is positioned in the at least one hole. The soot blank and at least one soot core cane member are consolidated to form a consolidated preform. The consolidated preform is drawn into an optical fiber.