An optical fiber includes: a central core portion; an intermediate layer; a trench layer; and a cladding portion. Further, Δ1>Δ2>Δ3 and 0>Δ3 are satisfied, where Δ1 is a relative refractive-index difference of the central core portion, Δ2 is a relative refractive-index difference of the intermediate layer, and Δ3 is a relative refractive-index difference of the trench layer with respect to the cladding portion, respectively, and (c−b) is smaller than 4.5 μm when Δ1 is equal to or larger than 0.36% and equal to or smaller than 0.40%, Δ2 is equal to or larger than −0.05% and equal to or smaller than 0.05%, |Δ3| is equal to or smaller than 0.25%, Δ1×|Δ3| is equal to or smaller than 0.08%.sup.2, an inner diameter of the trench layer is 2b, and an outer diameter of the trench layer is 2c.

An optical fiber includes: a central core portion; an intermediate layer; a trench layer; and a cladding portion. Further, relationships Δ1>Δ2>Δ3 and 0>Δ3 are satisfied, where Δ1, Δ2, and Δ3 are a relative refractive-index difference of the central core portion, the intermediate layer, and the trench layer, respectively, with respect to the cladding portion, Δ1 is equal to or larger than 0.34% and equal to or smaller than 0.37%, |Δ3| is equal to or larger than 0.1% and equal to or smaller than 0.25%, Δ1×|Δ3| is equal to or smaller than 0.08%.sup.2, a mode field diameter at a wavelength of 1310 nm is equal to or larger than 8.8 μm, and a transmission loss at a wavelength of 1550 nm is equal to or smaller than 0.195 dB/km.

An optical fiber includes: a central core portion; an intermediate layer; a trench layer; and a cladding portion. Further, relationships Δ1>Δ2>Δ3 and 0>Δ3 are satisfied, where Δ1, Δ2, and Δ3 are a relative refractive-index difference of the central core portion, the intermediate layer, and the trench layer, respectively, with respect to the cladding portion, Δ1 is equal to or larger than 0.34% and equal to or smaller than 0.37%, |Δ3| is equal to or larger than 0.1% and equal to or smaller than 0.25%, Δ1×|Δ3| is equal to or smaller than 0.08%.sup.2, a mode field diameter at a wavelength of 1310 nm is equal to or larger than 8.8 μm, and a transmission loss at a wavelength of 1550 nm is equal to or smaller than 0.195 dB/km.

Provided is a method for manufacturing an optical fiber glass preform in which a refractive index distribution is stable in a longitudinal direction of the glass preform. A method for manufacturing an optical fiber glass preform includes: depositing a porous glass preform by a vapor phase method; and sintering the porous glass preform in a heating region, when sintering the porous glass preform, the porous glass preform being inserted into a vessel of a sintering furnace, and an inside of the vessel being heated with a heater installed on an outer periphery of the vessel to form the heating region. The sintering is started after a surface temperature difference of the porous glass preform in a longitudinal direction is made 50° C. or lower.

A method and an apparatus for producing a porous glass preform by using organosiloxane raw material is provided. The apparatus for producing the porous glass preform 12 according to the present embodiment is configured to mix organosiloxane in a liquid state being a raw material with a carrier gas in a vaporizer 6, heat this mixture to be vaporized, supply this vapor to a burner 13 as a gas raw material, and produce a porous glass preform by depositing a glass fine particle produced by combusting the gas raw material on a starting material, herein the apparatus for producing a porous glass preform includes a moisture removing apparatus 8 configured to remove moisture in the carrier gas and supply the vaporizer with the carrier gas.

Provided is a member for optical glass manufacturing apparatus. The member is used for optical glass manufacturing apparatus and exposed to a gas containing a halogen element in a high temperature environment of 1100° C. or higher. The member includes dense ceramics containing silicon nitride as a main component, and a porosity of a surface layer of the member is smaller than a porosity of the inside of the member.

Provided is an optical fiber glass preform in which a starting rod and a dummy glass are hardly separated from each other, and a method for manufacturing the glass preform. In the optical fiber glass preform, the dummy glass is fitted into one end of the starting rod, and a part of the dummy glass and the starting rod are surrounded by a clad glass. In the manufacturing method, at the time of connecting the starting rod and the dummy glass, a shape is adjusted in such a manner that an iron is brought into contact with a connection portion and is moved from a starting rod side toward a dummy glass side with appliance of a load.

A method for forming an optical glass preform from a soot preform is provided. The method includes forming a soot preform, placing the soot preform in a furnace, and applying a vacuum through a centerline hole of the soot preform.

A method for manufacturing a preform for a multicore fiber, including stacking (S1) a plurality of core rods and a plurality of silica-based filler rods in a tube; collapsing (S2) the tube around the stack of core rods and silica-based filler rods, forming a collapsed stack; depositing (S3) a layer of silica around the collapsed stack; removing (S4) at least part of the deposited layer of silica. The preferential process for depositing a layer of silica around the collapsed stack and removing at least part of the deposited layer of silica is Advanced Plasma and Vapor Deposition.

To provide a fabrication method for a porous glass base material for optical fiber, the method including performing deposition of glass fine particles generated by using a burner for glass fine particle synthesis to form a porous glass base material, and heating this porous glass base material to be transformed into transparent glass to obtain a glass base material hardly containing any air bubbles. Provided is a fabrication method for a porous glass base material for optical fiber by depositing glass fine particles, which is generated in flame formed by ejecting a glass raw material gas and a combustible gas from a burner, on a rotating starting material, in which the burner continuously ejects inert gas for at least a predetermined period immediately after the end of the deposition of the glass fine particles.