System and method for optical fiber preform preparation via high-surface-area coating

A method for forming a glass, ceramic or composite preform material comprising:

• forming a matrix of glass having surfaces coated with materials containing metal or metalloid elements, including inorganic compounds, organometallic compounds, or coordination complexes wherein the surface area of the matrix exceeds, by more than a factor of two, the area of the interior surface of an imaginary cylinder or parallelepiped of a minimum size to enclose the matrix;
• and
• performing at least one of a thermal operation or a thermochemical operation on the coated matrix of glass to reduce said matrix of glass to a solid volume of material with dimensions representing at least one of a rod or a fiber.