A planar lightwave circuit or fused coupler that splits one input into 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 or 64 outputs. Each doubling of outputs costs about 3.5 dB, so a 1x32 splitter loses about 17 dB on every path. Splitters live in cabinets, closures or terminals in PON networks, and they work in both directions, combining upstream signals back onto the feeder.
Budget for 17.5 on the 1x32 plus 3.5 for the cascade 1x2, and we're right at the edge for 20 km.
Also heard as
- optical splitter
- coupler
Related terms
PON
Passive Optical Network: a point-to-multipoint fiber network where unpowered splitters share one fiber among many users.
Loss budget
The calculated total loss a fiber link should have, built from fiber length, connectors and splices.
FTTH
Fiber to the Home: access networks that run fiber all the way into each residence.
Insertion loss
The optical power lost when a component or a whole link is placed in the light path, measured in dB.