Prysmian S.p.a.

Irene Di Giambattista

Franco Cocchini

Antonio Schiaffo

Stefano Grieco

Valeria Caronna

Methods for manufacturing fluorine-doped glass preforms for optical fibers are disclosed. An exemplary method includes exposing a soot preform to an atmosphere containing a fluorine-containing gas in a first elongated chamber of a first furnace. The first elongated chamber typically has a single isothermal hot zone, which may be maintained at a doping temperature of about 800&#xb0; C. to 1200&#xb0; C., to obtain a fluorine-doped soot preform. The exemplary method further includes dehydrating the fluorine-doped soot preform by exposing it to an atmosphere containing a chlorine-containing gas in a second elongated chamber of a second furnace. The second elongated chamber typically has an upper hot zone, which may be maintained at a dehydration temperature of about 1000&#xb0; C. to 1350&#xb0; C., and a lower hot zone, which may be maintained at a consolidation temperature of about 1500&#xb0; C. to 1650&#xb0; C. Dehydration of the fluorine-doped soot preform typically occurs in the upper hot zone of the second furnace. The exemplary method further includes consolidating the fluorine-doped soot preform within the lower hot zone of the second furnace to form a fluorine-doped glass preform.

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Caserta, Italy

Irene Di Giambattista