SYSTEM AND METHOD PROVIDING PARTIAL VACUUM OPERATION OF ARC DISCHARGE FOR CONTROLLED HEATING

摘要

An electrical discharge, suitable for heating optical fibers for processing, is made in a controlled partial vacuum, such that saturation of available ionizable gas molecules is reached. The workpiece temperature is thereby made to be a stably controlled function of the absolute air pressure and is insensitive to other conditions. A system and method accomplishing the foregoing are provided.