Process and Apparatus for Production of Optical Fiber Preform

摘要

Disclosed is a process of producing an optical fiber preform having a step of charging a feedstock gas in an oxygen-hydrogen burner (2, 61, and 102) via an electrode (3) and hydrolyzing the same in an oxygen-hydrogen flame (9) to produce particulates (7, 107) containing charged glass particulates and a step of blowing the charged particulates onto a target comprised of a seed rod (1) or a soot body (1A) formed on the seed rod so as to cause them to deposit on the target and build up as a soot body (1A). Preferably, the process includes the further step of reducing the magnitude of the charge of the particulates in the burner along with an increase of the diameter of the target which is formed. More preferably, the process also includes the further step of making the position facing the burner across the target an opposite polarity from the charging polarity of the particulates ejected from the burner so as to electrically attract the particulates ejected from the burner.