Method for producting optical fiber at reduced pressure
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsJames Henry Faler, Andrey V. Filippov, Robert C. Moore, Bruce Warren Reding
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Abstract
An optical fiber production system and method are provided for producing optical fiber. An optical fiber is drawn from a preform in a furnace and passes through a treatment device under a reduced pressure in the range of 0.01 to 0.80 atm. The treatment device cools the bare optical fiber as it cools to a temperature in the range of at least 1,600° C. to 1,300° C. A non-contact fiber centering device is located near an exit of the treatment device to provide centering of the optical fiber as it exits the treatment device.
Claims20
A method for producing an optical fiber, said method comprising the steps of:
- drawing an optical fiber from a heated glass source in a furnace;
- treating the optical fiber by maintaining the optical fiber in a treatment device to cool the optical fiber at a rate that is slower than the cooling rate of the fiber in air at 25° C. and a pressure of 1 atm.;
- and
- reducing pressure in at least one of the furnace and the treatment device such that the pressure in the at least one of the furnace and the treatment device is in the range of 0.01 to 0.80 atm.
A method for producing an optical fiber, said method comprising the steps of:
- drawing an optical fiber from a heated glass source in a furnace;
- and
- reducing pressure in the furnace such that the pressure in the furnace is in the range of 0.05 to 0.80 atm.
A method for producing an optical fiber, said method comprising the steps of:
- drawing an optical fiber from a heated glass source in a furnace;
- treating the optical fiber by maintaining the optical fiber in a treatment device to cool the optical fiber at a rate that is slower than the cooling rate of the fiber in air at 25° C. and a pressure of 1 atm, wherein the optical fiber exits the treatment device at a temperature greater than 500° C.;
- and
- reducing pressure in the treatment device such that the pressure in the treatment device is in the range of 0.05 to 0.80 atm.
An optical fiber production system comprising:
- a furnace adapted to contain and heat a glass source from which an optical fiber is drawn;
- a treatment device for treating the optical fiber drawn from the heated glass source, wherein the treatment cools the optical fiber at a rate that is slower than the cooling rate of the fiber in air at 25° C. and a pressure of 1 atm;
- and
- a vacuum pump configured to reduce pressure in at least one of the furnace and the treatment device to a pressure in the range of 0.05 to 0.80 atm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.