Silica glass article and manufacturing process therefor

An optical fiber comprising silica glass and having defects generated when its precursor is irradiated with a photon energy of not less than 3.5 eV, hydrogen atoms being bonded to the defects,

• wherein the optical fiber has the characteristic that when 108 pulses of a KrF excimer laser having a wavelength of 248 nm are applied to the optical fiber at an output of 10 mJ/cm2 and a pulse frequency of 100 Hz, the optical fiber as measured with a sample of 1 meter length has an ultraviolet ray transmittance of not less than 90% of the ultraviolet ray transmittance measured prior to the irradiation at a wavelength of 248 nm.

An optical fiber comprising silica glass and having defects generated when its precursor is irradiated with a photon energy of not less than 3.5 eV, hydrogen atoms being bonded to the defects,

• wherein the optical fiber has the characteristic that when 108 pulses of a KrF excimer laser having a wavelength of 248 nm are applied to the optical fiber at an output of 10 mJ/cm2 and a pulse frequency of 100 Hz, the optical fiber as measured with a sample of 1 meter length has an ultraviolet ray transmittance of not less than 90% of the ultraviolet ray transmittance measured prior to the irradiation in a wavelength region of from 160 nm to 300 nm.

An optical fiber comprising a core comprising a fluorine and silica glass, the silica glass having defects, hydrogen atoms being bonded to the defects,

• wherein the optical fiber has the characteristic that when 108 pulses of a KrF excimer laser having a wavelength of 248 nm are applied to the optical fiber at an output of 10 mJ/cm2 and a pulse frequency of 100 Hz, the optical fiber as measured with a sample of 1 meter length has an ultraviolet ray transmittance of not less than 90% of the ultraviolet ray transmittance measured prior to the irradiation at a wavelength of 248 nm.

An optical fiber comprising silica glass and having defects generated when its precursor is irradiated with a photon energy of not less than 3.5 eV, hydrogen atoms being bonded to the defects, the defects having a bonding with hydrogen, the bonding being formed upon irradiation with a predetermined dose of electromagnetic waves having a wavelength not more than 248 nm,

• wherein the optical fiber has the characteristic that when 108 pulses of a KrF excimer laser having a wavelength of 248 nm are applied to the optical fiber at an output of 10 mJ/cm2 and a pulse frequency of 100 Hz, the optical fiber as measured with a sample of 1 meter length has an ultraviolet ray transmittance of not less than 90% of the ultraviolet ray transmittance measured prior to the irradiation at a wavelength of 248 nm.