Quartz glass blank for preparing an optical component as well as its preparation and application

摘要

Quartz glass blank for optical component for transmission of ultraviolet radiation with wavelength of 250 nm or shorter has glass structure that is free of oxygen defect sites, hydrogen content of 0.1x10 power 16-4x10 power 16 molecules/cm3, hydroxyl group-content of 125-450 wt-ppm, silicon hydride group-content of less than 5x10 power 16 molecules/cm3, refractive index inhomogeneity, DELTAn, of less than 2 ppm, and stress birefringence of less than 2 nm/cm. An Independent claim is also included for a procedure for the manufacture of a quartz glass blank comprising generating a mixed quartz glass with a mean OH-content of 125-450 wt-ppm by mixing first and second quartz glasses, which are manufactured by flame hydrolysis of a silicon-containing compound, the first and second quartz glasses differing in their OH-contents.