One aspect relates to a method for the production of synthetic quartz glass. Moreover, one aspect relates to a polyalkylsiloxane compound, which includes certain specifications with respect to chlorine content, metallic impurities content, and residual moisture, as well as the use thereof for the production of synthetic quartz glass. One aspect also relates to a synthetic quartz glass that can be obtained according to the method of one embodiment.

A method of producing a quartz glass optical component is provided. The method includes providing a cylindrical quartz glass body made of core rod glass and cladding glass. The quartz glass body has a square cut first end having a first outer diameter. The method further includes providing a glass handle having a first end and an opposing square cut second end having a second outer diameter which is between 50% and 110% of the first outer diameter; attaching the square cut end of the glass handle to that of the quartz glass body; and using the glass handle to guide the quartz glass body through a draw furnace. A distortion in a clad-to-core ratio proximate the interface of the cylindrical quartz glass body and the glass handle is less than 5%.

An optical member including a porous glass layer on a base member is provided, wherein the reflectance is reduced and a ripple is suppressed. The optical member is provided with a base member and a glass layer holding a transparent material in the inside of a porous structure disposed on the base member, wherein in the thickness direction of the glass layer, the porosity in the base member side with respect to the center line of the glass layer in the thickness direction is smaller than the porosity in the side opposite to the base member with respect to the center line of the glass layer in the thickness direction.

An optical member including a porous glass layer on a base member is provided, wherein the reflectance is reduced and a ripple is suppressed. The optical member is provided with a base member and a glass layer holding a transparent material in the inside of a porous structure disposed on the base member, wherein in the thickness direction of the glass layer, the porosity in the base member side with respect to the center line of the glass layer in the thickness direction is smaller than the porosity in the side opposite to the base member with respect to the center line of the glass layer in the thickness direction.

A process for producing a fluorinated quartz glass is described, including providing an SiO.sub.2 soot body; reacting the SiO.sub.2 soot body with a fluorinating agent having a boiling point of greater than or equal to −10° C. to obtain a fluorinated SiO.sub.2 soot body; and vitrifying the fluorinated SiO.sub.2 soot body.

A process for producing a fluorinated quartz glass is described, including providing an SiO.sub.2 soot body; reacting the SiO.sub.2 soot body with a fluorinating agent having a boiling point of greater than or equal to −10° C. to obtain a fluorinated SiO.sub.2 soot body; and vitrifying the fluorinated SiO.sub.2 soot body.

A method for manufacturing a large sized opaque quartz glass ingot having excellent heat ray shielding and light blocking properties without using a foaming agent. The obtained opaque quartz glass has small diameter spherical bubbles and a preferable mechanical strength. Silica powder is dispersed in water to form a slurry having a silica powder concentration of 45 to 75 wt % and the average particle size of the silica powder is adjusted to 8 μm or less and the standard deviation of the particle size is adjusted to 6 μm or more by wet pulverization. The slurry is sprayed for forming granules of the silica powder. An opaque quartz glass ingot with a small bubble diameter and high mechanical strength is obtained by melting the granulated silica powder.

A method for manufacturing a large sized opaque quartz glass ingot having excellent heat ray shielding and light blocking properties without using a foaming agent. The obtained opaque quartz glass has small diameter spherical bubbles and a preferable mechanical strength. Silica powder is dispersed in water to form a slurry having a silica powder concentration of 45 to 75 wt % and the average particle size of the silica powder is adjusted to 8 μm or less and the standard deviation of the particle size is adjusted to 6 μm or more by wet pulverization. The slurry is sprayed for forming granules of the silica powder. An opaque quartz glass ingot with a small bubble diameter and high mechanical strength is obtained by melting the granulated silica powder.

This raw material supply device supplies a raw material for producing glass fine particle deposits, to a burner and includes a raw material tank; a liquid raw material pipe having one end thereof connected to the raw material tank; a liquid raw material pressure feed pump that pumps siloxane, being a liquid raw material, from the raw material tank via the liquid raw material pipe; a pressure adjustment valve provided on a secondary side of the liquid raw material pressure feed pump in the liquid raw material pipe; an MFC for liquid, connected to the other end of the liquid raw material pipe; and an aeration device that is connected to the secondary side of the MFC for liquid and aerates the liquid raw material. The pipe on the secondary side of the pressure adjustment valve is connected to a location having lower pressure than the primary side pressure.

This raw material supply device supplies a raw material for producing glass fine particle deposits, to a burner and includes a raw material tank; a liquid raw material pipe having one end thereof connected to the raw material tank; a liquid raw material pressure feed pump that pumps siloxane, being a liquid raw material, from the raw material tank via the liquid raw material pipe; a pressure adjustment valve provided on a secondary side of the liquid raw material pressure feed pump in the liquid raw material pipe; an MFC for liquid, connected to the other end of the liquid raw material pipe; and an aeration device that is connected to the secondary side of the MFC for liquid and aerates the liquid raw material. The pipe on the secondary side of the pressure adjustment valve is connected to a location having lower pressure than the primary side pressure.