High rate optical fiber fabrication process using thermophoretically enhanced particle deposition
AssigneeBell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated
InventorsJohn B. MacChesney, Jay R. Simpson, Kenneth L. Walker
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Abstract
This invention is a technique for fabricating optical fibers using thermophoretically enhanced particle deposition. In this process a cooling liquid such as water is poured over the substrate upon which deposition occurs in order to thermophoretically enhance the deposition. It has been found that despite the significant thermal shock that such water imparts to the tube, and despite previous difficulty with cracking because of thermal stresses which may develop, especially upon cooling, applicants have found that structural integrity may be maintained and enhanced deposition rates result.
Claims12
A method of fabricating optical fibers comprising:
- a. forming glass precursor particulate material;
- b. depositing the glass precursor particulate material on an appropriate substrate while heating the substrate to yield an optical fiber preform;
- and
- c. drawing the optical fiber perform into an optical fiber;
- the invention characterized in that
- the particulate material is thermophoretically directed from regions of higher temperature to regions of lower temperature utilizing liquid cooling means to cool portions of the heated substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.