Fiber optic splitters, also referred to as optical splitters, fiber splitters, or beam splitters, are integrated waveguide optical power distribution devices that split an incident light beam into two or more light beams, and vice versa. By dividing a single optical signal from a central Optical Line Terminal (OLT) into multiple outputs for Optical Network Terminals (ONTs) at users' homes, splitters eliminate the need for dedicated fibers to each residence—slashing infrastructure costs while scaling network reach. You'll often see ratios like 1:8, 1:16, 1:32, or even 1:64, which tell you how many ways the signal is divided. The split ratio and insertion loss are two key parameters defining their performance. A deeper understanding of these. A “splitter” is a power splitter. A splitter is not a filter like a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM). Rarely, there can be two inputs to provide potential redundancy of route.
[PDF Version]