PRODUCTION OF OPTICAL FIBER

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a process for producing an optical fiber which has a large light receiving angle, is capable of transmitting more light and is applicable to a transparent resin as well without selecting the kind of a core material. SOLUTION: This invention relates to the process for producing the optical fiber formed of a core material 2 and the clad material consisting of an silica aerogel 1a covering this core material 2. The optical fiber is provided with the silica aerogel 1a between the core material 2 and a coating material 3 in the outer peripheral part of the core material 2. The clad material consisting of the silica aerogel 1a has a small refractive index and is formable to the optical fiber having a large difference in the specific refractive indices between the core material 2 and the clad material 1. The clad material consisting of the silica aerogel 1a is held by the coating material 3 and the outer periphery of the core material 2 may be provided with this clad material. The treatment for hydrophobic property impartation and the treatment for supercritical drying at the time of producing the silica aerogel 1a do not act any more on the core material 2 and the occurrence of deterioration is averted even if the transparent resin, etc., are used as the core material 2.