High transmission synthetic silica glass and method of making same
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsDana Bookbinder, Richard Fiacco, Kenneth Hrdina, Lisa Moore, Susan Schiefelbein
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Abstract
Disclosed are high purity synthetic silica material having an internal transmission at 193 nm of at least 99.65%/cm and method of preparing such material. The material is also featured by a high compositional homogeneity in a plane transverse to the intended optical axis. The soot-to-glass process for making the material includes a step of consolidating the soot preform in the presence of H2O and/or O2.
Claims47
A process for making a synthetic glass material with an OH concentration from 0.1 to 1300 ppm by weight with a variation in OH concentration in a direction perpendicular to at least one axis thereof of less than 20 ppm by weight, comprising the following steps:
- (i) providing high purity silica soot particles;
- (ii) forming a porous preform having bulk density of 0.2 to 1.6 g/cm3 from the soot particles;
- (iii) optionally purifying the porous preform;
- and
- (iv) consolidating the preform into dense silica in the presence of H2O and/or O2 in a furnace having internal surface exposed to the consolidation atmosphere inert to H2O and O2.
A synthetic silica glass material with an OH concentration from 0.1 to 1300 ppm by weight with a variation in OH concentration in a direction perpendicular to at least one axis thereof of less than 20 ppm by weight, and an internal transmission at 193 nm of at least 99.65%/cm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.