Tag Archives: PLC splitter

PLC Splitter Selection Guide

PLC splitter is a simple passive component which plays an important role in the applications of technologies like GPON, EPON and BPON. It allows a strand of fiber optic signal being equivalently splitted into several strands of optical signal, which can support a single network interface to be shared by many subscribers. When selecting it, split ratios should always be considered. However, with the network cabling environment becoming increasingly complex, various PLC splitters with different package form factors are being invented. Now the package form factor of it is also a key factor to be considered. This post will introduce the most commonly used PLC splitters in different package form factors for your reference during selection.

Bare Fiber PLC Splitter

Bare fiber PLC splitter is commonly used in FTTx projects. It leaves bare fiber on all its ends. Thus, they can be spliced by network engineer freely according to the applications. Meanwhile, it requires the least space during cabling. They can be installed in fiber optic splicing closure easily to provide FTTH signal distribution.

blockless bare fiber PLC splitter

Blockless PLC Splitter

A blockless PLC splitter looks like a bare fiber splitter. The main differences are that the blockless one is usually terminated with fiber optic connectors and it uses a compact stainless tube package. It is also common that many bare fiber PLC splitters also use stainless tube package for the split chip.

Fanout PLC Splitter

Fanout PLC splitter generally uses 0.9mm buffer fiber, added with a length of ribbon fiber terminated with fanout kit behind the PLC split chip. The splitter ratios of it also come in various types. The following picture shows a 1:8 fanout version which is terminated with SC/APC connectors.

fanout PLC splitter

ABS PLC Splitter

ABS PLC splitter uses ABS plastic box to holding the splitter chip. The inbound fibers and distribution fibers are arranged on the same plate of this ABS box, which can provide easier and more flexible cabling. Except providing reliable protection, it can also be installed in a variety of boxes or enclosures. It is very commonly to install a it in a standard 19-inch rack unit.

ABS PLC splitter

LGX Box PLC Splitter

LGX Box PLC splitter looks like an MTP LGX cassette. It houses the whole splitter inside a metal box and leave fiber optic adapters for both inbound fibers and distribution fibers on its front panel. The LGX splitter can be used stand alone or be installed in the standard rack unit or fiber enclosures for better cabling.

LGX PLC splitter

Mini Plug-in PLC Splitter

Mini plug-in PLC splitter is now widely used in FTTx project, especially at the distribution points near the end users of the FTTx networks. It provides fast installation and low space requirement helping to alert the deployment of FTTs projects. Fiber pigtails for input and output can be directly connected with this passive component easily.

mini plug-in PLC splitter

Tray Type PLC Splitter

Tray type PLC splitter also uses a space saving package form factor for better cable management. However, it uses a international 19-inch design which can be deployed in ODF for compact cable management and signal distribution. With this design, the ports on tray type splitter are clearly marked, which can reduce the faults caused by wrong connections.

tray type PLC splitter

Rack Mount PLC splitter

Rack mount PLC splitter is designed to meet the requirement of high cabling density for data centers or server room. It can be firmly installed on the data center or server racks. It is an ideal solution for high density cabling environment. FS.COM can provide PLC splitter ports up to 64 in 1U 19-inch rack. The following picture shows the details of a 1:8 rack mount one provided in FS.COM.

rack mount PLC splitter

FS.COM PLC Splitter Solution

PLC splitter is a cost-effective passive optical component enabling a single network interface to be shared by two or more users. Selecting the right package form factor for it can help a lot during both the network deployment and maintaining. Most of the above mentioned splitters in different package form factors are all being provided in FS.COM. Customized ones are also available in FS.com. Kindly contact sales@fs.com for more details if you are interested.

Source:

How Many Fiber Optic Splitter Types Are There? – FS Community

 

Differences between FBT and PLC Splitter

With the growing demand for optic signal transmission, fiber optic splitter becomes more and more important in today’s fiber optic communication. In terms of principle, optical cable splitter can be divided into FBT (Fused Biconical Taper) splitter and PLC (Planar Lightwave Circuit) splitter. Since, these two splitters have different working principles and applications, this post will make a comparison between FBT splitter and PLC splitter.

FBT splitter

FBT splitter is one of the most common splitters, which is widely accepted and used in passive networks. FBT splitter is designed for power splitting and tapping in telecommunication equipment, CATV network, and test equipment.

FBT splitter

PLC splitter

PLC splitter is a hot research at home and abroad today, with a good prospect of application, which is used to distribute or combine optical signals. It is based on planar lightwave circuit technology and provides a low cost light distribution solution with small form factor and high reliability.

PLC splitter

FBT Splitter vs. PLC Splitter

A comparison between FBT splitter and PLC splitter can be illustrated from the following aspects.

  • Operating wavelength: The FBT splitter process tapered fiber mode field changes, the need to adjust the process monitoring window, the operating wavelength is adjusted to 1310nm, 1490nm, 1550nm operating wavelength. The PLC splitter is not sensitive to the working wavelength, also be said that the insertion loss of the light of different wavelengths are very close, typically working wavelength reaches 1260 to 1650nm, covering various PON standards at this stage all the necessary possible to use a wavelength as well as a variety of test monitoring equipment needed wave.
  • Spectral uniformity: The FBT splitter ratio can be controlled according to require on-site, if you went uniformity good, you need to go through the accurate calculation of pairing. The ratio variable is the best advantage of the device. The PLC splitter ratio is determined by the design of the mask. Currently the ratio is uniform, due to the high consistency of the semiconductor process, the uniformity at the channel of the device is very good, and keep the consistency of the size of the output light.
  • Temperature dependent loss: The FBT splitter usual working temperature in the -5 to 75 ℃, insert loss insertion loss varies with temperature variation, particularly in the low temperature conditions (-10 to 0 ℃), the insertion loss of unstable. The PLC splitter working temperature in the -40 to 85 ℃, insert a small amount of loss varies with temperature changes.
  • Input/Output maximum fibers: One or two inputs from FBT splitter with an output maximum of 32 fibers, while PLC Splitter with an output maximum of 64 fibers.
  • Cost: FBT splitter is made of materials that are easily available, which determines the low cost of the device itself. PLC splitter manufacturing technology is more complex, which leads to the higher price.

From this post we have known the differences between FBT splitter and PLC splitter, for more information please visit fs.com where the quality of FBT splitter can be trusted and deployed in a cost-effective manner.

Common Passive Fiber Optical Splitters

Fiber optical splitter, also named fiber optic coupler or beam splitter, is a device that can distribute the optical signal (or power) from one fiber among two or more fibers. Fiber optic splitter is different from WDM(Wavelength Division Multiplexing) technology. WDM can divide the different wavelength fiber optic light into different channels, but fiber optic splitter divide the light power and send it to different channels.

Work Theory Of Optical Splitters

The Optical Splitters “split” the input optical signal received by it between two optical outputs, simultaneously, in a pre-specified ratio 90:10 or 80:20. The most common type of fiber-optic splitter splits the output evenly, with half the signal going to one leg of the output and half going to the other. It is possible to get splitters that use a different split ratio, putting a larger amount of the signal to one side of the splitter than the other. Splitters are identified with a number that represents the signal division, such as 50/50 if the split is even, or 80/20 if 80% of the signal goes to one side and only 20% to the other.

Some types of the fiber-optic splitter are actually able to work in either direction. This means that if the device is installed in one way, it acts as a splitter and divides the incoming signal into two parts, sending out two separate outputs. If it is installed in reverse, it acts as a coupler, taking two incoming signals and combing them into a single output. Not every fiber-optic splitter can be used this way, but those that can are labeled as reversible or as coupler/splitters.

Attenuation Of Fiber Optic Splitter

An interesting fact is that attenuation of light through an optical splitter is symmetrical. It is identical in both directions. Whether a splitter is combining light in the upstream direction or dividing light in the downstream direction, it still introduces the same attenuation to an optical input signal (a little more than 3 dB for each 1:2 split). Fiber optic splitters attenuate the signal much more than a fiber optic connector or splice because the input signal is divided among the output ports. For example, with a 1 X 2 fiber optic coupler, each output is less than one-half the power of the input signal (over a 3 dB loss).

Passive And Active Splitters

Fiber optic splitters can be divided into active and passive devices. The difference between active and passive couplers is that a passive coupler redistributes the optical signal without optical-to-electrical conversion. Active couplers are electronic devices that split or combine the signal electrically and use fiber optic detectors and sources for input and output.

Passive splitters play an important position in Fiber to the Home (FTTH) networks by permitting a single PON (Passive Optical Network) network interface to be shared amongst many subscribers. Splitters include no electronics and use no power. They’re the community parts that put the passive in Passive Optical Network and are available in a wide range of break up ratios, including 1:8, 1:16, and 1:32.

Optical splitters are available in configurations from 1×2 to 1×64, such as 1:8, 1:16, and 1:32. There are two basic technologies for building passive optical network splitters: Fused Biconical Taper (FBT) and Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC). FBT Coupler is the older technology and generally introduces more loss than the newer PLC Splitter.