Plasma chemical vapor deposition methods and apparatus
OwnerKeith L. House, Samir Khanna +2inventors
InventorsKeith L. House, Samir Khanna, Barton G. Lane III, Prantik Mazumder
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Abstract
The invention relates to the field of PCVD methods of making an optical fiber and apparatuses for use in PCVD methods. The disclosed methods and apparatuses improve the PCVD process by enhancing the efficiency of the deposition process. The use of the disclosed methods and apparatuses, individually or in combination thereof, will result in at least reducing the time necessary to deposit a predetermined amount of glass on a substrate.
Claims43
A method of making an optical fiber preform assembly comprising:
- forming a plasma inside a tube, thereby forming a plasma zone;
- and
- introducing a flow of at least one precursor suitable for forming glass into the plasma zone, wherein said flow comprises eddy diffusion of the flow of the precursor.
A method of making an optical fiber preform assembly comprising:
- forming a plasma zone inside a tube, thereby forming a plasma zone;
- introducing a flow of at least one precursor suitable for forming glass into the plasma zone;
- and
- creating eddy diffusion flow in the plasma zone.
A microwave applicator for forming a plasma for a chemical vapor deposition process comprising:
- a housing and a surface adjacent an outer surface of a substrate, wherein said surface comprises at least one portion protruding toward said outer surface of the substrate.
A method of depositing glass on a substrate comprising:
- flowing at least one glass precursor material at a predetermined mass flow rate into a substrate, wherein the predetermined mass flow rate comprises a rate at which the pressure within the substrate comprises no more than about 99% of the soot formation pressure;
- reacting the glass precursor inside the substrate;
- and
- subsequently modulating the mass flow rate to maintain the pressure within the substrate substantially constant.
A method of depositing glass on a substrate comprising:
- depositing glass on an internal surface of a substrate having first and second ends;
- and
- inserting a rod inside said second end of the of the substrate, wherein a length of said rod inside said substrate comprises less than the length of said substrate.
A method of making an optical fiber preform assembly comprising:
- inserting an eddy current element into a substrate;
- forming a plasma zone inside a tube, thereby forming a plasma zone;
- and
- introducing a flow of at least one precursor suitable for forming glass into the plasma zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.