METHOD OF MANUFACTURING OPTICAL FIBER AND OPTICAL FIBER

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of manufacturing an optical fiber which is capable of effectively controlling the pressure in holes. SOLUTION: In a piercing process step, a front end 42 is brought into contact with the end face of a preform 1 fixed by a fixing means 50 and thereafter the front end 42 is rotated about the axis of rotation parallel to an axial direction. The front end 42 is then successively infiltrated into the preform 1 as a prescribed speed, by which the hole 30 extending along the axial direction is formed. In a drawing process step, the end 3 of the preform 1 is pulled by a traction means 61 while the preform is subjected to heat treatment by a heating means 62, by which the preform is drawn to the optical fiber 2. At this time, the pressure in the hole 30 of the preform 1 is regulated by a pressure transmission means 64 and a coupling means 63 by a pressure regulating means 65.