Method enabling dual pressure control within fiber preform during fiber fabrication

摘要

A method of fabricating a photonic crystal or photonic band gap optical fiber comprises providing a preform that includes a plurality of holes in an outer diameter, wherein the holes extend from a first end of a preform to a second end of the preform, and forming at least one radially inwardly-extending slot within the preform such that the slot intersects at least some of the holes, wherein the slot does not intersect at least one hole. The method also includes establishing a first pressure in the holes intersected by the slot by introducing the first pressure to the slot, and establishing a second pressure in the at least one hole not intersected by the slot by introducing the second pressure to an end of the at least one hole not intersected by the slot. The method further includes drawing the preform into a fiber while independently controlling the first and second pressures.