Optical waveguide fiber containing titania and germania

An optical waveguide fiber comprising:

• a core glass region having a maximum refractive index n.sub.o ;
• and,
• a clad glass layer, having a minimum refractive index n.sub.c, surrounding said core glass region, wherein n.sub.o >n.sub.c ;
• said core glass consisting essentially of SiO.sub.2, at a weight percent no less than 55%, TiO.sub.2, GeO.sub.2 and R.sub.x O.sub.y, wherein the weight percent ratio of TiO.sub.2 to GeO.sub.2 plus R.sub.x O.sub.y is less than 1, x and y are positive integers less than 4 and R.sub.x O.sub.y forms a volatile species in a preform drying step wherein a soot preform is treated with chlorine gas at a temperature above 900.degree. C.

A method of making an optical waveguide preform comprising the steps:

• a) forming a soot preform by deposition of pre-selected weight percent ratios of silica to titania to germania onto a target surface;
• b) removing .sup.- OH ions from the soot preform by treating the preform with chlorine gas;
• c) after step b), consolidating, in the presence of O.sub.2, the soot preform into a glass body;
• and,
• d) forming a cladding layer of silica about the consolidated glass body of step c).