A method of producing an optical fiber preform includes: an alkali-metal-doped silica glass body forming step of forming an alkali-metal-doped silica glass body doped with an alkali metal; a silica glass body forming step of forming a silica glass body to be at least a portion of a core portion around the alkali-metal-doped silica glass body such that the silica glass body contacts the alkali-metal-doped silica glass body; and a diffusing step of diffusing the alkali metal from the alkali-metal-doped silica glass body to the silica glass body by a heat treatment.

In the method for manufacturing a glass-fine-particle-deposited body according to the present invention, at least a part of a gas supplying pipe 25 from a temperature controlled booth 24 to a burner 18 for cladding is temperature-controlled so that the temperature at the burner side becomes high and temperature gradient becomes 5 C./m or more. The temperature control is performed so that the temperature gradient becomes preferably 15 C./m or more, more preferably 25 C./m or more. Specifically, the part is controlled to the predetermined temperature gradient by winding a tape heater 26 that is a heating element on the outer circumference of the gas supplying pipe 25 from the temperature controlled booth 24 to the burner 18 for cladding and temperature-controlling the tape heater 26.

An optical fiber having a core comprising silica and greater than 1.5 wt % chlorine and less than 0.5 wt % F, said core having a refractive index .sub.1MAX, and a inner cladding region having refractive index .sub.2MIN surrounding the core, where .sub.1MAX>.sub.2MIN.

A soot glass deposit body is manufactured by placing a starting rod and a burner 22 for producing glass particulates in a reaction container, introducing a source material gas to the burner 22 through a supplying pipe 26, producing glass particulates by a pyrolytic oxidation reaction of the source material gas in a flame formed by the burner 22, and depositing the produced glass particulates on the starting rod. At the time, the source material gas to be supplied to the burner 22 is a siloxane, the burner 22 is heated so that temperature of the burner 22 falls within the range of from 30 C. to +30 C. relative to the boiling point of the siloxane, and also temperature of the supplying pipe is controlled within the range of from the boiling point of the siloxane to the boiling point plus 30 C.

A method for producing a blank of iron-doped silica glass with high silicic acid content for use as heat protection glass is provided. The method involves: (a) producing an iron-doped SiO.sub.2 soot body which contains iron in a first oxidation state Fe.sup.3+ by flame hydrolysis of a silicon-containing and an iron-containing starting substance, (b) drying the soot body to obtain a mean hydroxyl group content of less than 10 ppm by weight, and (c) vitrifying the soot body under a reducing atmosphere that is suitable for at least partially reducing the iron from the first oxidation state Fe.sup.3+ to a second, lower oxidation state Fe.sup.2+. A blank is obtained having an iron content between 0.1 and 1% by weight which exhibits an internal transmission of at most 40% in the infrared wavelength range and an internal transmission of at least 85% in the visible spectral range.

A method of manufacturing multi-mode optical fiber is disclosed. The method of manufacturing includes: a step of forming a first glass base material while controlling a supply rate of an additive for adjusting a refractive index to achieve a desired refractive index distribution; a step of drawing the first glass base material; a step of measuring a residual stress distribution in a radial direction of the multi-mode optical fiber after being drawn; a step of readjusting the supply rate of the additive in accordance with deviation of a refractive index, acquired from the residual stress distribution measured, from the desired refractive index distribution; a step of forming a second glass base material while supplying the additive at the supply rate after being readjusted; and a step of drawing the second glass base material.