The present invention provides an optical fiber with improved optical properties such as zero dispersion wavelength by suppressing the volatilization of dopant materials such as germanium dioxide and optimizing the refractive index distribution by adjusting the setting position of the core portion burner for deposition in a larger optical fiber preform. An optical fiber preform includes a core portion with a relatively high refractive index and a clad portion with a relatively low refractive index, wherein a position having a value of 45% of a refractive index difference between a center of the core portion and the clad portion is a boundary rcore (mm) between the core portion and the clad portion; and when a radius position r at which a refractive index difference with the clad portion being a maximum value is rside (mm), r.sub.side/rcore is 0.745 to 1.

A glass particle deposit producing method capable of preventing the variation in the outside diameter of a glass particle deposit and enhancing the yield of a glass raw material is provided. A glass particle deposit is produced by mounting a starting rod 11 and a glass particle generating burner 22 inside a reaction vessel 2, introducing a glass raw material into the burner 22, subjecting the glass raw material to a flame decomposition reaction inside a flame formed by the burner 22 to generate glass particles, and depositing the generated glass particles on the starting rod 11. At this time, the dispersion angle of the glass raw material jetted from the burner 22 with respect to the center axis of the burner 22 is set to the range of 5 to 70 degrees.