SAXS study of optically homogeneous silica glass synthesized by flame aerosol method

Aiming the development of optically homogeneous silica glass for use on photonic components, in this research, silica boules were synthesized by the VAD (Vapor‐phase Axial Deposition) flame aerosol method by varying the $H2/O2$ ratio. Radial structure of sintered silica samples were characterized by small‐angle X‐ray scattering technique in correlation with its optical properties, refractive index radial homogeneity and birefringence. The refractive index was determined by interferometry and optical spectrometry. The polarization spectrophotometry was used to obtain the birefringence. The structural radial homogeneity in sintered silica glass presents strong correlation with optical properties. Also, silica glass with high radial homogeneity of refractive index of 1 ppm and birefringence of 2 nm/cm can be synthesized by controlling the $H2/O2$ ratio during the VAD synthesis process.