Method for modification of surface of optical fiber preform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11733459-B2
Application number	US-201916286556-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2019
Priority date	Dec 31, 2018
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method for modification of surface of an initial optical fiber preform. The initial optical fiber preform is manufactured using at least one preform manufacturing process. The surface of the initial optical fiber preform is treated with 50-70 liters of chlorine per square meter of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform. The surface of the initial optical fiber preform is flame polished using a flame polishing module. The treatment of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform with chlorine and flame polishing of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform collectively converts the initial optical fiber preform into a modified optical fiber preform.

First claim

What we claim is:

1. A method for modification of surface of an initial optical fiber preform, the method comprising:
treating the surface of the initial optical fiber preform with chlorine, wherein the surface of the initial optical fiber preform is treated with chlorine for modification of structure of silica cladding of the initial optical fiber preform by removing impure particles from the initial optical fiber preform; and
performing flame polishing on the surface of the initial optical fiber preform subsequently after chlorination, wherein the flame polishing is performed to convert the initial optical fiber preform into a modified optical fiber preform.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the surface of the initial optical fiber preform is treated with 50-70 liters of chlorine per square meter of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the treatment of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform with chlorine facilitates reduction in softening temperature of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform to enable rapid healing of the surface cracks of the initial optical fiber preform during the flame polishing.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the treatment of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform with chlorine dries out the surface of the initial optical fiber preform by making the surface of the initial optical fiber preform free from water and hydroxide ions, wherein the treatment of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform with chlorine discourages adhesion of foreign particles to the surface of the initial optical fiber preform, wherein the treatment of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform with chlorine prevents the impure particles to get stuck on the surface of the initial optical fiber preform, wherein the treatment of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform with chlorine enables removal of metallic impurities from the surface of the initial optical fiber preform.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the treatment of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform with chlorine provides stress relaxation to the surface of the initial optical fiber preform.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flame polishing of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform is performed at a temperature in a range of 1000−1400° C.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flame polishing is performed on the surface of the initial optical fiber preform to enable removal of residual strain from inside the initial optical fiber preform.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flame polishing is performed on the surface of the initial optical fiber preform to reduce proof test breaks and draw breaks from the surface of the initial optical fiber preform, wherein the flame polishing is performed on the surface of the initial optical fiber preform to provide high proof test yield.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , the modified optical fiber preform is free from metallic impurities and the impure particles, wherein the modified optical fiber preform has a smooth surface with elevated long length tensile strength, wherein the modified optical fiber preform has reduced proof test breaks.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the initial optical fiber preform is manufactured using at least one preform manufacturing process, wherein the at least one preform manufacturing process comprises modified chemical vapor deposition process, vapor axial deposition process and outside vapor deposition process.

11. A method for modification of surface of an initial optical fiber preform, the method comprising:
treating the surface of the initial optical fiber preform with 50-70 liters of chlorine per square meter of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform, wherein the surface of the initial optical fiber preform is treated with chlorine for modification of structure of silica cladding of the initial optical fiber preform by removing impure particles from the initial optical fiber preform; and
performing flame polishing on the surface of the initial optical fiber preform subsequently after chlorination, wherein the flame polishing is performed to convert the initial optical fiber preform into a modified optical fiber preform, wherein the modified optical fiber preform is free from metallic impurities and the impure particles, wherein the modified optical fiber preform has a smooth surface with elevated long length tensile strength, wherein the modified optical fiber preform has reduced proof test breaks.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the treatment of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform with chlorine provides stress relaxation to the surface of the initial optical fiber preform.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the treatment of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform with chlorine dries out the surface of the initial optical fiber preform by making the surface of the initial optical fiber preform free from water and hydroxide ions, wherein the treatment of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform with chlorine discourages adhesion of foreign particles to the surface of the initial optical fiber preform, wherein the treatment of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform with chlorine prevents the impure particles to get stuck on the surface of the initial optical fiber preform, wherein the treatment of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform with chlorine enables removal of metallic impurities from the surface of the initial optical fiber preform.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the flame polishing is performed on the surface of the initial optical fiber preform to enable removal of residual strain from inside the initial optical fiber preform.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the flame polishing of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform is performed at a temperature in a range of 1000−1400° C.

16. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the initial optical fiber preform is manufactured using at least one preform manufacturing process, wherein the at least one preform manufacturing process comprises modified chemical vapor deposition process, vapor axial deposition process and outside vapor deposition process.

17. A method for modification of surface of an initial optical fiber preform, the method comprising:
treating the surface of the initial optical fiber preform with 50-70 liters of chlorine per square meter of the surface of the initial optical fiber preform, wherein the surface of the initial optical fiber preform is treated with chlorine for modification of structure of silica cladding of the initial optical fiber preform by removing impure particles from the initial optical fiber preform; and
performing flame polishing on the surface of the initial optical fiber preform subsequently after chlorination, wherein the flame polishing is to convert the initial optical fiber preform into a modified optical fiber preform, wherein the modified optical fiber preform is free from metallic impurities and the impure particles, wherein the modified optical fiber preform has a smooth surface with elevated long length tensile strength, wherein the modified optical fiber preform has reduced proof test breaks, wherein the flame polishing is performed at a temperature in a range of 1000−1400° C.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the treatment of the surface of the initial optical fiber

Assignees

• Sterlite Tech Ltd

Inventors

• WATEKAR Pramod
• Maity Annesha
• Mittal Manoj
• Gaikwad Sandeep
• Nagarkar Sham
• Pathak Bhalchandra
• Ram Sathis

Classifications

• G02B6/13 Primary

  Integrated optical circuits characterised by the manufacturing method · CPC title

• C03B19/1453

  Thermal after-treatment of the shaped article, e.g. dehydrating, consolidating, sintering · CPC title

• C03B29/00

  Reheating glass products for softening or fusing their surfaces; Fire-polishing; Fusing of margins · CPC title

• C03B37/01446 Primary

  Thermal after-treatment of preforms, e.g. dehydrating, consolidating, sintering (C03B37/01853 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C03C25/002

  Thermal treatment · CPC title