| 摘要 |
A method for producing an optical fiber preform according to the present invention includes an etching step of heating a silica-based glass tube using a heat source continuously traversed in the longitudinal direction of the glass tube to etch the inner surface portion of the glass tube containing impurities while an etching gas is allowed to flow into the glass tube. The glass tube has a maximum alkali metal concentration of 500 to 20,000 atomic ppm, a maximum chlorine concentration of 0 to 1000 atomic ppm, and a maximum fluorine concentration of 0 to 10,000 atomic ppm. In the etching step, the maximum temperature of the outer surface of the glass tube is in the range of 1900° C. to 2250° C., and the heating time is set to a time equal to or less than a time (min) given by ( 7 - alkai   metal   concentration   ppm 5000 ) . |
