LOW WATER PEAK OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME

摘要

A cylindrical glass body having a low water content core and nearclad region and method of manufacturing such a cylindrical glass body for use in the manufacture of optical waveguide fiber is disclosed. Preferably the glass body is made using an outside vapor deposition process, wherein a core cane is first formed, preferably using outside vapor deposition methods. The core cane is then treated with deuterium gas prior to having additional core and/or cladding material applied to the core cane. Using such techniques, optical fiber preforms can be achieved having core and nearclad region which have a water content sufficiently low such that an optical waveguide fiber made from the cylindrical glass body of the present invention exhibits an optical attenuation of less than about 0.35 dB/km, and preferably less than about 0.31 dB/km at a measured wavelength of 1380nm.