摘要 |
A method of making an optical fibre including providing an increased diameter portion on a rod. The rod is assembled by positioning the rod in a tube such that an annular gap is defined between an outer surface of the rod and an inner surface of the tube, and such that the increased diameter portion of the rod engages the tube and supports the rod with respect to the tube, and supporting the rod and tube assembly by gripping the tube. At the lower end of the rod and tube assembly, portions of the tube are collapsed onto the rod such that the tube portions fuse to the rod forming collapsed portions of the rod and the tube assembly. The collapsed portions are drawn to form an optical fibre. The vertically oriented rod and tube assembly can also be collapsed to form an optical fibre preform.
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