Optical Fiber Preform Bonding to Suppress Glass Chip Contamination

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Solution Overview

Problem

In optical fiber preform production, the clearance between a glass block and a glass pipe leads to glass chip generation, which reduces the quality of the optical fiber by carrying these chips into the interface between the core and cladding materials.

Innovation Solution

The method integrates a glass block with a glass pipe, ensuring they are in contact, preventing glass chip generation. This is achieved by connecting the glass pipe to the cladding material, introducing gas for processing, inserting the core material, and integrating the components by heating.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a glass block is inserted into a glass pipe with clearance, then the glass block can be positioned and fixed, but glass chips are generated due to rotation and wear

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of block positioningVSAvoidglass chip generation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The glass block is integrated with the glass pipe by heating to melt and bond them together, eliminating the clearance between the two components. This merging prevents the block from rotating independently inside the pipe, thereby suppressing glass chip generation while maintaining ease of positioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The physical state of the glass block and glass pipe interface is changed from solid-to-solid contact with clearance to a bonded state through heating. The heating process changes the temperature parameter to melt the glass materials, enabling them to fuse and eliminate clearance, thus preventing chip generation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If gas phase processing is performed on the inner surface of the hole, then the surface quality is improved, but glass chips may enter the interface between core and cladding materials

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface qualityVSAvoidglass chip contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The glass block is merged with the glass pipe through heating and bonding, creating a unified structure without clearance. This eliminates the source of glass chips during gas phase processing, allowing surface quality improvement without the risk of chip contamination at the core-cladding interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The glass block is pre-integrated with the glass pipe before gas phase processing occurs. This beforehand bonding creates a protective structure that prevents glass chips from being generated and carried into the interface during the subsequent gas phase processing step.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Ease of manufacture

If the core material is inserted into the hole, then the optical fiber structure is formed, but the interface quality may be reduced by glass chips

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of core insertionVSAvoidinterface quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The glass block and glass pipe are merged into a single bonded structure before core insertion. This eliminates clearance and prevents glass chip generation during core insertion, maintaining both ease of manufacture and high interface quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The glass block is pre-bonded to the glass pipe before the core material is inserted. This beforehand integration creates a chip-free environment that protects the core-cladding interface quality during the insertion process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach effectively suppresses the generation and entry of glass chips into the optical fiber interface, thereby maintaining the quality of the optical fiber preform.

Implementation Method 1

introducing gas into the first hole through the first glass pipe and the second hole, and gas phase processing an inner surface of the first hole

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas phase processing: Plasma

Implementation Method 2

integrating the cladding material and the core material by heating

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentUS20250162926A1Optical fiber base material production method

Publication Date: 2025.05.22 SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES LTD

AI summary

An optical fiber preform production method is performed using a cladding material having a first end and a second end and being provided with a first hole, a first glass block having a first end and a second end and being provided with a second hole, and a first glass pipe including a first portion connected to the first end of the glass block. The method includes: connecting the first portion of the first glass pipe to the first end of the cladding material; after the connecting, introducing a gas into the first hole through the first glass pipe and the second hole, and gas phase processing an inner surface of the first hole; after the gas phase processing, inserting a core material from the second end of the cladding material into the first hole; and after the inserting, integrating the cladding material and the core material by heating.