Process for manufacturing a micro-structured optical fibre

1. A process for manufacturing a micro-structured optical fibre, comprising:

forming a sol containing a glass precursor;

pouring the sol in a mould including a set of structural generating elements defining internal structural elements of an intermediate preform, the structural generating elements being made of rubber;

transforming the sol into a gel so as to obtain a gel body defining the intermediate preform;

removing the intermediate preform from the mould;

applying a mechanical load at room temperature to remove at least one of said structural generating elements, thereby forming at least one hole in the intermediate preform;

drying the intermediate preform;

sintering the dried intermediate preform to obtain a glass preform; and

structurally modifying the glass preform to obtain the micro-structured optical fibre.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein structurally modifying the glass preform comprises stretching the glass preform to obtain a core rod.

3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein structurally modifying the glass preform comprises applying a tubular glass member externally to the core rod to obtain a final preform.

4. The process according to claim 3 , wherein applying a tubular glass member externally to the core rod comprises lowering the air pressure between the tubular glass member and the core rod.

5. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the core rod has at least one hole, which had been formed previously in the intermediate preform, and wherein applying a tubular glass member externally to the core rod comprises flowing a hydrogen-free gas into said at least one hole of the core rod and controlling the pressure of said hydrogen-free gas.

6. The process according to claim 3 , wherein structurally modifying the glass preform comprises drawing the final preform to obtain the micro-structured optical fibre.

7. The process according to claim 2 , wherein structurally modifying the glass preform comprises depositing glass soot onto the core rod to obtain a final preform and sintering the final preform.

8. The process according to claim 7 , wherein structurally modifying the glass preform comprises drawing the final preform to obtain the micro-structured optical fibre.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein drying comprises supercritical drying.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises, after drying the intermediate preform and before sintering the dried intermediate preform, or after sintering the dried intermediate preform and before structurally modifying the glass preform:

inserting at least one micro-structural generating element into said at least one hole formed in the intermediate preform.