Process for the preparation of fluorinated quartz glass

A process for the production of fluorinated quartz glass, characterized by:

• (a) generating SiO2 particles in a synthesis burner;
• (b) depositing the SiO2 particles resulting from process (a) on a substrate to form a body;
• and
• (c) vitrifying the body resulting from process (b),
• wherein a fluorinating agent having a boiling point of greater than or equal to −10° C. is introduced to the synthesis burner during process (a),
• wherein fluorinating agent is selected from a group comprising:
• i. oxygen-containing fluorinating agents;
• ii. nitrile-containing fluorinating agents;
• iii. mixtures of the oxygen-containing and nitrile-containing fluorinating agents, characterized in that the oxygen-containing fluorinating agents are selected from the group consisting of:
• i. Perfluoroketones of the general formula (I)
• RF1—CO—RF2 (I),
• wherein RF1 is selected from the group consisting of perfluorinated carbon groups having 1 to 7 carbon atoms and fluorine;
• and RF2 is selected from the group consisting of perfluorinated carbon groups having 1 to 7 carbon atoms;
• ii. Perfluoroethers of the general formula (II)
• RF1—C(X1)(X2)O—RF2 (II),
• wherein RF1 is selected from the group consisting of perfluorinated carbon groups having 1 to 7 carbon atoms and fluorine;
• RF2 is selected from the group consisting of perfluorinated carbon groups having 1 to 7 carbon atoms;
• and X1 and X2 are F or CF3;
• iii. Hydrofluoroethers of the general formula (III)
• RF1—C(X1)(X2)O—RF2 (II),
• wherein RF1 is selected from the group consisting of perfluorinated carbon groups having 1 to 7 carbon atoms and fluorine;
• R2 is a non-fluorinated hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms;
• X1 and X2 stand for F or CF3;
• characterized in that the fluorinating agent is supplied to the synthesis burner in liquid or gaseous form.