Quartz fibre with hydrogen barrier layer and method for the production thereof

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a quartz glass fibre includes producing a quartz glass primary preform by modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD) in a quartz glass substrate tube and inserting the quartz glass primary preform into a glass jacketing tube. Defect-generating UV radiation is irradiated into the cross-sectional area of the glass jacketing tube while combining the quartz glass primary preform with the glass jacketing tube in the jacketing process to form a cladding layer to a secondary preform. A quartz glass fibre is pulled from the secondary preform.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a quartz glass fibre, said method comprising the steps of: a) producing a quartz glass primary preform by modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD) in a quartz glass substrate tube; b) inserting the quartz glass primary preform with a fluorine-doped radial layer on the fibre core into a glass jacketing tube containing chlorine, c) irradiating defect-generating ultra-violet (UV) radiation into the cross-sectional area of the glass jacketing tube while combining the quartz glass primary preform with the glass jacketing tube in the jacketing process to form a cladding layer on the fibre core to a secondary preform, wherein the cladding layer defines a hydrogen barrier around the fibre core in response to irradiation of the glass jacketing; and d) pulling a quartz glass fibre from the secondary preform.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the defect-generating UV radiation generates E defects and non-bridging oxygen hole center (NBOHC) defects in the cladding layer of the quartz fibre.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the defect-generating UV radiation is irradiated into the glass jacketing tube.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the glass jacketing tube consists of quartz glass having a hydroxl (OH) concentration of 0.2 ppm, the chlorine having a content of 800-2000 ppm, and/or a refractive index of +0.35 to +0.510.sup.3.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the defect-generating UV radiation is irradiated into the cross-sectional area of the glass jacketing tube while the quartz glass fibre is pulled from the secondary preform.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the defect-generating UV radiation is irradiated into a longitudinal cross-section of the glass jacketing tube.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluorine-doped radial layer is provided on the fibre core after producing the quartz glass primary preform by MCVD.

8. A method of manufacturing a quartz glass fibre, said method comprising the steps of: a) producing a quartz glass primary preform by modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD) in a quartz glass substrate tube; b) inserting the quartz glass primary preform with a fluorine-doped radial layer on the fibre core into a glass jacketing tube containing chlorine, c) irradiating defect-generating ultra-violet (UV) radiation into the cross-sectional area of the glass jacketing tube while combining the quartz glass primary preform with the glass jacketing tube in the jacketing process to form a cladding layer on the fibre core to a secondary preform, wherein the glass jacketing tube includes an axial end surface upstream of where the quartz glass primary preform is combined with the glass jacketing tube and the defect-generating UV radiation is irradiated into the axial end surface; and d) pulling a quartz glass fibre from the secondary preform.

9. A method of manufacturing a quartz glass fibre, said method comprising the steps of: a) producing a quartz glass primary preform by modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD) in a quartz glass substrate tube; b) inserting the quartz glass primary preform with a fluorine-doped radial layer on the fibre core into a glass jacketing tube containing chlorine, c) irradiating defect-generating ultra-violet (UV) radiation into the cross-sectional area of the glass jacketing tube while combining the quartz glass primary preform with the glass jacketing tube in the jacketing process to form a cladding layer on the fibre core to a secondary preform, wherein only the glass jacketing tube is irradiated with defect-generating radiation; and d) pulling a quartz glass fibre from the secondary preform.

Description

FIGURES

(1) The present disclosure will be further explained with reference to figures:

(2) FIG. 1: Optical absorption bands of the known defects in quartz glass (see L. Skuja et al., Laser-induced color enters in silica Proc. SPIE vol. 4347, p. 1/14-14/14). Numbering: 1: fluoride groups SiF; 2: hydride groups SiH; 3: chloride groups SiCl; 4: oxygen vacancies (SiODC(I)); 5; hydroxyl groups SiOH; 6: peroxy bridge SiOOSi; 7: E* centers: Si.Math.Si or Si.Math.; 8: peroxy radicals SiOO.Math.; 9: SiODC (II) (divalent Si/O vacancy); 10: ozone O3; 11: interstitial Cl.sub.2; 12: non-bridging oxygen SiO; 13: interstitial oxygen O.sub.2; 14: self-trapped holes.

(3) FIG. 2: FIG. 2: the reactions of E and NBOHC defects in quartz glass with hydrogen (see https://neup.inl.gov/SiteAssets/Final%20%20Reports/09-819%20NEUP%20Final%20Report.pdf, page 28).

(4) FIG. 3: Measured absorption of Suprasil F300 quartz glass and Suprasil 300 at 300 K as a function of radiant energy according to (see https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Giovanna_Navarra/publication/4155763_Absorption_edge_in_silica_glass/links/02e7e525fade3f17f2000000/Absorption-edge-in-silica-glass.pdf?origin=publication_detail).

(5) FIG. 4: Schematic representation of the preform to be drawn before entering the drawing furnace with schematic representation of the coupling of the UV laser radiation. Reference signs: 1: UV laser radiation; 2: jacketing tube e.g. made of F300 quartz glass; 3: air gap between jacketing tube and primary preform; 4: primary preform with outer fluorine trench. FIG. 4 shows the primary preform inserted into the free jacketing tube. The angle of incidence is selected as described above.

(6) FIG. 5: Schematic structure of the fibre drawing device for the production of hydrogen-insensitive fibres with high fibre strength and low fibre attenuation. Reference signs: 1: preform feed; 2: secondary preform consisting of jacketing tube and core preform for on-line jacketing; 3: drawing bulb in the hot furnace zone; 4: drawing furnace with immersed secondary preform; 5: coating unit; 6: drawing speed of the fibre; 7: glass fibre after leaving the drawing furnace; 8: quasi-axial UV laser irradiation into the cross-section of the jacketing tube.

CITED PUBLICATIONS

(7) https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Giovanna_Navarra/publication/4155763_Absorption_edge_in_silica_glass/links/02e7e525fade3f17f2000000/Absorption-edge-in-silica-glass.pdf?origin=publication_detail: https://www.lightbrigade.com/productionFiles/Resource-PDF/Whitepapers/Hermetic-Fiber-for-Oil-and-Gas.aspx http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a189886.pdf https://www.osti.gov/servlets/pur1/14067 https://sundoc.bibliothek, uni-halle.de/dissonline/04/04H209/t3.pdf https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19660007266.pdf https://www.crystran.co.uk/optical-materials/silica-glass-sio2 Joshua M. Jacobs, The impact of hydrogen on optical fibers, Corning White Paper, WP 97-9-2004 (https://www.corning.com/media/worldwide/global/documents/sfiber%20WP9007_Hydrogen%20Aging.pdf) https://neup.inl.gov/SiteAssets/Final%20%20Reports/09-819%20NEUP%20Final%20Report.pdf https://www.heraeus.com/media/media/hqs/doc_hqs/products_and_solutions_8/optical_fiber/Fiber_Tubes_EN_2018_04.pdf Hibino et al., ESR Study on E-Centers Induced by Optical Fiber Drawing Process, Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Volume 22, Part 2, Nr. 12 https://www.laserfocusworld, com/articles/print/volume-51/issue-04/features/fiber-optic-components-harsh-environment-optical-fiber-coatings-beauty-is-only-skin-deep.html https://www.researchgate.net/publication/253791167 Jing Yang, Numerical modeling of hollow optical fiber drawing, Dissertation 2008, Rutgers State University of New Jersey EP 95729 A2 L. Skuja et al., Laser-induced color enters in silica, Proc. SPIE vol. 4347, p. 1/14-14/14 A. K. Pandey et al., Refractive index profile design to improve hydrogen diffusion resistance property of optical fiber, ICOP 2009, International Conference on Optics and Photonics, India, November 2009 Troy et al., Role of hydrogen loading and glass composition on the defects generated by the femtosecond laser writing process of fiber Bragg gratings in Optical Materials Express 2(11):1663-1670-11-2012 DE69922728 T2, U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,243A, U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,853, und U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,480