Constructing preforms from capillaries and canes

• Main Authors: LARGE MARYANNE C.J, EIJKOLONBORG MARTIN A.V, ZAGARI JOSEPH, RYAN TOM, CANNING JOHN, ARGYROS ALEXANDER, MANOS STEVEN, LYYTIKAINON KATJA
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 07.07.2005
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: CHEMISTRY; GLASS; MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES; METALLURGY; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCESIN A PLASTIC STATE; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

The invention relates to a method of producing a preform for a holey optical fibre, and more particularly, to a method of producing polymer holey optical fibre using novel capillary and cane designs that allow a construction of complex holey structures. The capillaries may have a complex internal structure including multiple holes, holes of non-circular shape, off-centre holes, holes of different sizes, or any combination of these. The canes may have a complex external shape to define interstitial holes when the canes arc combined in a stack (see FIG. 1 ). The capillaries and canes may be made of different materials and combined within the same structure.