User's Manual

Fiber Optics Powerwave
7 - 2 Rev. P1A9-Draft 2004-11 VM100 56/EN – User’s Manual
OSP, Optical Splitter
This section describes those types of optical splitters that are used to build repeater fiber
networks. These are variants of three port optical splitters, also called beamsplitters or
tee couplers.
After the general description, the graphic symbol for the optical splitter, and two
examples of splitter usages are found.
Figure 7-1. Three port optical splitter
The optical splitter is used to split an optical signal in a common fiber port into two or
more output fiber ports, and the other way around, that is to combine the signals from
two or more input ports into one common port.
Optical splitters have to be used to interconnect more than two units in a fiber network.
The signal power in the splitter output ports is divided, reducing the signal magnitude in
each of the ports.
The signal magnitude reduction, or power loss, for the common types of optical splitters
for repeater networks are found in the following table.
Additional loss for optical connectors is approximately 0.5dB per connector.
The table indicates that a 50/50 percent splitter divides the signal power from the
common fiber equally between the output fibers. The splitter has the same loss in the
reverse direction.
A 30/70 percent splitter divides the signal power from the common fiber in a part with
30% of the common power and another part with 70% of the common power. The
splitter has the same loss in the reverse direction.
Other types of splitters, such as 90/10, 95/5, and 99/1 percent are not used for repeater
networks.
Splitter type Loss
50/50 percent 3dB for each of the ports due to the specification.
Typical loss is between 3.2dB and 3.5dB.
30/70 percent 5.2dB in the 30% port.
1.5dB in the 70% port.