Abstract: An apparatus for drying and/or consolidating an at least partially porous optical fibre preform.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing glass preforms for optical fibers includes a reaction chamber surrounding a deposition region, a holding device for holding a target rod within said deposition region, one or a plurality of deposition burners positioned below said deposition region and configured to direct a high temperature flow of forming glass particles toward said target rod, a hood positioned opposite to the deposition burners with respect to said holding device and configured for discharging soot of un-deposited glass particles, said hood including at least one exhaust port provided at a first end portion thereof and side panels extending from a second end portion thereof toward said first end portion. At least a portion of the side panels of the hood is gas permeable.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for drying and consolidating an optical fibre preform in a furnace tube comprising a heating chamber, wherein an extension tube having an extension chamber configured to house at least a length portion of the preform is removably joined to the furnace tube and the drying process starts with the preform not completely inserted into the furnace tube, an upper length portion of the preform being surrounded by the extension tube joint to the furnace tube.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing fluorine-doped glass preforms for optical fibers are disclosed. An exemplary method includes exposing a soot preform to an atmosphere containing a fluorine-containing gas in a first elongated chamber of a first furnace. The first elongated chamber typically has a single isothermal hot zone, which may be maintained at a doping temperature of about 800° C. to 1200° C., to obtain a fluorine-doped soot preform. The exemplary method further includes dehydrating the fluorine-doped soot preform by exposing it to an atmosphere containing a chlorine-containing gas in a second elongated chamber of a second furnace. The second elongated chamber typically has an upper hot zone, which may be maintained at a dehydration temperature of about 1000° C. to 1350° C., and a lower hot zone, which may be maintained at a consolidation temperature of about 1500° C. to 1650° C. Dehydration of the fluorine-doped soot preform typically occurs in the upper hot zone of the second furnace.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a preform of silica for optical fiber production, as well as to a method for the production of optical fibers comprising a step of drawing the optical fiber from such a preform of silica, the method comprising a step of vaporization of a siloxane feedstock added with a compound having the following formula (I): wherein R, R? and R?, equal or different each other, are an alkyl group having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and A is a saturated or unsaturated chain of atoms selected from the group consisting of carbon atom, nitrogen atom, and oxygen atom, said chain A forming with the nitrogen atom linked thereto a saturated, unsaturated or aromatic heterocyclic moiety.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing glass preforms for optical fibers includes a reaction chamber surrounding a deposition region, a holding device for holding a target rod within said deposition region, one or a plurality of deposition burners positioned below said deposition region and configured to direct a high temperature flow of forming glass particles toward said target rod, a hood positioned opposite to the deposition burners with respect to said holding device and configured for discharging soot of un-deposited glass particles, said hood including at least one exhaust port provided at a first end portion thereof and side panels extending from a second end portion thereof toward said first end portion. At least a portion of the side panels of the hood is gas permeable.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing fluorine-doped glass preforms for optical fibers are disclosed. An exemplary method includes exposing a soot preform to an atmosphere containing a fluorine-containing gas in a first elongated chamber of a first furnace. The first elongated chamber typically has a single isothermal hot zone, which may be maintained at a doping temperature of about 800° C. to 1200° C., to obtain a fluorine-doped soot preform. The exemplary method further includes dehydrating the fluorine-doped soot preform by exposing it to an atmosphere containing a chlorine-containing gas in a second elongated chamber of a second furnace. The second elongated chamber typically has an upper hot zone, which may be maintained at a dehydration temperature of about 1000° C. to 1350° C., and a lower hot zone, which may be maintained at a consolidation temperature of about 1500° C. to 1650° C. Dehydration of the fluorine-doped soot preform typically occurs in the upper hot zone of the second furnace.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for drying and consolidating an optical fibre preform in a furnace tube comprising a heating chamber, wherein an extension tube having an extension chamber configured to house at least a length portion of the preform is removably joined to the furnace tube and the drying process starts with the preform not completely inserted into the furnace tube, an upper length portion of the preform being surrounded by the extension tube joint to the furnace tube.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a preform of silica for optical fiber production, as well as to a method for the production of optical fibers comprising a step of drawing the optical fiber from such a preform of silica, the method comprising a step of vaporization of a siloxane feedstock added with a compound having the following formula (I): wherein R, R? and R?, equal or different each other, are an alkyl group having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and A is a saturated or unsaturated chain of atoms selected from the group consisting of carbon atom, nitrogen atom, and oxygen atom, said chain A forming with the nitrogen atom linked thereto a saturated, unsaturated or aromatic heterocyclic moiety.

Abstract: An optical fibre preform suspending device for vertically holding an optical fibre preform by a preform handle comprising a handle enlarged-width portion is provided. The preform suspending device having a substantially cylindrical shape and comprising a housing portion having a receiving space with a front top opening and a front bottom opening and a supporting surface between the front top opening and the front bottom opening. The preform suspending device also comprises a supporting member placed on the supporting surface, for holding the handle enlarged-width portion. The supporting member is radially independent from the housing portion.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing at least one optical fibre preform comprising: providing a plurality of partially porous intermediate preforms, each partially porous intermediate preform having a longitudinal axis and comprising a respective soot intermediate clad layer formed around a respective glass core rod comprising a central core region of radius a and an inner clad region of radius b to define a first core-to-clad ratio a/b; consolidating the formed soot intermediate clad layers to form a respective plurality of intermediate glass preforms, each of the plurality of intermediate glass preforms comprising an intermediate clad region having an external radius c to define a second core-to-clad ratio a/c of from 0.20 to 0.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical fibre preform comprising: providing a glass core rod comprising a central core region of radius a and an inner clad region of external radius b to define a first core-to-clad ratio a/b; forming an intermediate glass preform comprising an intermediate clad region surrounding the inner clad region of the glass rod and having an external radius c to define a second core-to-clad ratio a/c, and overcladding the intermediate glass preform by forming an overclad region surrounding the intermediate clad region to form an optical fibre preform, wherein the first core-to-clad ratio a/b is equal to or less than 0.40 and the second core-to-clad ratio a/c is of from 0.20 to 0.25.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical fibre preform comprising: providing a glass core rod comprising a central core region of radius a and an inner clad region of external radius b to define a first core-to-clad ratio a/b; forming an intermediate glass preform comprising an intermediate clad region surrounding the inner clad region of the glass rod and having an external radius c to define a second core-to-clad ratio a/c, and overcladding the intermediate glass preform by forming an overclad region surrounding the intermediate clad region to form an optical fibre preform, wherein the first core-to-clad ratio a/b is equal to or less than 0.40 and the second core-to-clad ratio a/c is of from 0.20 to 0.25.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing at least one optical fibre preform comprising: providing a plurality of partially porous intermediate preforms, each partially porous intermediate preform having a longitudinal axis and comprising a respective soot intermediate clad layer formed around a respective glass core rod comprising a central core region of radius a and an inner clad region of radius b to define a first core-to-clad ratio a/b; consolidating the formed soot intermediate clad layers to form a respective plurality of intermediate glass preforms, each of the plurality of intermediate glass preforms comprising an intermediate clad region having an external radius c to define a second core-to-clad ratio a/c of from 0.20 to 0.

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.

Abstract: Device and method for chemical deposition on an elongated member of vitreous material in which a rotating gripping member causes a first end portion of the elongated member to rotate. The second end portion of the elongated member is borne by a pair of supporting members which are axially spaced apart (L1) and are capable of permitting angular rotational movement and axial sliding of the second end portion. Each supporting member also applies a radial constraint preventing the second end portion from moving away from the axis of rotation, thus forcing the second portion and the elongated member to lie with a longitudinal axis coaxial with the axis of rotation. Any curvature of the elongated member is corrected and recovered in this way.

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.

Abstract: Device and method for chemical deposition on an elongated member of vitreous material in which a rotating gripping member causes a first end portion of the elongated member to rotate. The second end portion of the elongated member is borne by a pair of supporting members which are axially spaced apart (L1) and are capable of permitting angular rotational movement and axial sliding of the second end portion. Each supporting member also applies a radial constraint preventing the second end portion from moving away from the axis of rotation, thus forcing the second portion and the elongated member to lie with a longitudinal axis coaxial with the axis of rotation. Any curvature of the elongated member is corrected and recovered in this way.