Optical Couplers

Optical Couplers

Optical couplers, also known as optical splitters or optical taps, are devices used in fiber optic communication systems to split or combine optical signals. They are used to distribute optical signals from one source to multiple destinations or to combine multiple signals into a single fiber. Optical couplers are passive devices, meaning they do not require an external power source to function. The most common type of optical coupler is the fused biconical taper (FBT) coupler. FBT couplers are made by fusing two or more optical fibers together and then tapering them down to a smaller diameter. The taper causes some of the light to be coupled from one fiber to another, creating a split in the signal. FBT couplers can be made with a variety of split ratios, from 50/50 to 1/99. Another type of optical coupler is the planar lightwave circuit (PLC) coupler. PLC couplers are made by etching a waveguide pattern into a silica substrate. The waveguide pattern splits the light into multiple paths, which are then recombined at the output. PLC couplers are more expensive than FBT couplers but offer better performance and more precise split ratios. Optical couplers are used in a variety of applications, including cable television (CATV) distribution, telecommunications networks, and fiber optic sensors. They are also used in optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging systems, which use light to create high-resolution images of biological tissue.

fiber optic communication, fused biconical taper coupler, planar lightwave circuit coupler, split ratio, optical coherence tomography

— Matthew Turner