PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING OPTICAL FIBRE PREFORMS AT HIGH DEPOSITION RATE

摘要

A process for forming an optical fire preform by causing a uniform layer of glass particles to be deposited on the internal wall of a supporting tube rotated around its axis, the particles being formed at an inlet end of a tube, and the temperature gradient along the tube being controlled to maintain a constant rate of deposition along its length. Various different types of heat sources are disclosed for generating within the tube the temperature gradient required by the process.