Process for making low-OH glass articles and low-OH optical resonator

摘要

Disclosed are optical resonators having low OH content in at least the near-surface region and a process for making low OH glass article by chlorine treatment of consolidated glass of the article. Cl₂ gas was used to remove OH from depth as deep as 350 μm from the surface of the consolidated glass. The process can be used for treating flame-polished preformed optical resonator disks. A new process involving hot pressing or thermal reflowing for making planar optical resonator disks without the use of flame polishing is also disclosed.