Methods of controlling steam pressure to produce titania-silica glass

Abstract

A process of forming a titania-silica glass body, the process including exposing a titania-doped silica soot body to a constant steam pressure step during which the partial steam pressure is at a first partial pressure of steam P1 that is from about 0 Torr to about 760 Torr and exposing the soot body to a ramp-up steam pressure step during which the partial steam pressure increases from the first partial pressure of steam P1 to a second partial pressure of steam P2, the second partial pressure of steam P2 being from about 50 Torr to about 760 Torr. The second partial pressure of steam P2 being greater than the first partial pressure of steam P1. The process further including heating the soot body during the constant steam pressure step and during the ramp-up steam pressure step and increasing the temperature during at least one of the constant steam pressure step and the ramp-up steam pressure step.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.