Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of making an optical fiber preform suitable for use in the manufacture of single mode optical fiber, comprising the steps of: despositing, by vapor reaction, on the bore of a silica substrate tube, a layer of fluorine doped silica cladding glass containing at least 0.5 mole % germania and having a refractive index not exceeding that of pure silica; depositing, by vapor reaction, on said layer of cladding glass, a layer of germania doped silica core glass; and, collapsing the bore of the tube to form a solid cross-section optical fiber preform.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of making an optical fiber preform suitable for use in the manufacture of single mode optical fiber, comprising the steps of: despositing, by vapor reaction, on the bore of a silica substrate tube, a layer of fluorine doped silica cladding glass containing at least 0.5 mole % germania and having a refractive index not exceeding that of pure silica; depositing, by vapor reaction, on said layer of cladding glass, a layer of germania doped silica core glass; and, collapsing the bore of the tube to form a solid cross-section optical fiber preform.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cladding glass contains oxide of phosphorus in an amount not exceeding 0.5 mole %.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein a diffusion barrier layer is deposited on the substrate tube and then the cladding layer is deposited, said diffusion barrier layer having a higher mole percentage of oxide of phosphorus than is present in the subsequently deposited layer and cladding glass.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the refractive index of the diffusion barrier layer matches that of the cladding glass.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
27 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2, 3, or 4 wherein the refractive index of the cladding glass matches that of pure silica.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein the germania doped silica core glass additionally includes fluorine as a dopant.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the diffusion barrier layer includes a transitional region in which the composition is graded to the material of the cladding glass layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A solid cross-section optical fiber preform made by the method claimed in claim 1 or 3.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
A single mode optical fiber drawn from a preform as claimed in claim 8.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
209 words
A method of making an optical fiber preform suitable for use in the manufacture of single mode optical fiber, comprising the steps of: depositing on the bore of a silica substrate tube a diffusion barrier layer containing an oxide of phosphorus, depositing, by vapor reaction, on said diffusion barrier layer a layer of fluorine doped silica cladding glass containing at least 0.5 mole % of an oxide of an element for which the fundamental vibrational absorption of the bond between oxygen and that element lies at a longer wavelength that that of the bond between oxygen and silicon, and oxide of phorphorus in an amount not exceeding 0.5 mole %, the mole percent of said oxide of phosphorus in said diffusion barrier layer being higher than that of said cladding glass, said cladding glass having a refractive index not exceeding that of pure silica; depositing, by vapor reaction, on said layer of cladding glass, a layer of silica core glass containing an oxide of an element for which the fundamental vibrational absorption of the bond between oxygen and that element lies at a longer wavelength than that of the bond between oxygen and silicon; and collapsing the bore of the tube to form a solid cross-section optical fiber preform.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
209 words
A method of making an optical fiber preform suitable for use in the manufacture of single mode optical fiber, comprising the steps of: depositing on the bore of a silica substrate tube a diffusion barrier layer containing an oxide of phosphorus, depositing, by vapor reaction, on said diffusion barrier layer a layer of fluorine doped silica cladding glass containing at least 0.5 mole % of an oxide of an element for which the fundamental vibrational absorption of the bond between oxygen and that element lies at a longer wavelength that that of the bond between oxygen and silicon, and oxide of phorphorus in an amount not exceeding 0.5 mole %, the mole percent of said oxide of phosphorus in said diffusion barrier layer being higher than that of said cladding glass, said cladding glass having a refractive index not exceeding that of pure silica; depositing, by vapor reaction, on said layer of cladding glass, a layer of silica core glass containing an oxide of an element for which the fundamental vibrational absorption of the bond between oxygen and that element lies at a longer wavelength than that of the bond between oxygen and silicon; and collapsing the bore of the tube to form a solid cross-section optical fiber preform.