High performance silica glass produced by flame aerosol method for photonic components

Author(s)

Juliana Santiago dos Santos

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica
• Defense date: 2009-02-18

Examining board members

Carlos Kenichi Suzuki; Armando Hideki Shinohara; Delson Torikai; Antonio Jose Ramirez Londono; Paulo Roberto Mei

• Advisor: Carlos Kenichi Suzuki

Abstract

This research reports the study of the effect of processing parameters of VAD (Vapor-phase Axial Deposition) method on structural and optical properties of silica glass aiming the development of an optically homogeneous material for use on lithographic equipments. The structural properties were characterized by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS). X-ray absorption (XRA) and digital image processing were used to obtain the density radial distribution and average density of silica soot, respectively. The optical properties were determined by interferometry, optical spectroscopy, polarization spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and optical absorption spectrophotometry. As a main result, silica glass was produced with structural radial homogeneity, ?n = 3 ppm, birefringence = 2 nm/cm, and transmittance of 87 % at ? = 400 nm when it was consolidated with He atmosphere and higher than 90 % in vacuum. This optical performance was obtained in 95 % of preform diameter without additional steps, such as annealing and cutting of preform outer diameter region (usually the heterogeneous part) which significantly reduces the time and cost of silica fabrication. (AU)