Method of fabricating optical glass base material and apparatus for fabricating the same

摘要

A method of fabricating an optical glass base material by injecting and depositing fine glass particles produced by chemically reacting glass stock which comprises means for growing the fine glass particles in a depositing direction to form porous rod-shaped base material, support means for supporting the porous rod-shaped base material after growing, and heat treatment means for sintering at least the outer periphery of the rod-shaped base material in a semisintering state before supporting the rod-shaped base material by said support means to harden the same. Thus, since the rod-shaped base material is held in the stable state through the support means, the mechanical strength of the base material is strengthened strength by the semisintering hardening through the heat treating means before being supported by the support means, the base material is not deformed nor damaged in the supported state, and a large base material may be fabricated.