Fiber PLC Splitter is an optical signal distribution device used in fiber optic communication networks. It is widely used in FTTx (fiber to the home), PON (passive optical network) and data centers. It can distribute optical signals from a single fiber port to multiple output ports while maintaining the quality and stability of the optical signal. PLC (Planar Lightwave Circuit) splitter is made based on optical waveguide technology, which makes PLC splitter outstanding in high bandwidth, low loss and high reliability.

Based on what technology?
Fiber PLC Splitter is mainly made based on planar light waveguide technology (Planar Lightwave Circuit, referred to as PLC). PLC technology is a micro-optical technology that uses optical waveguides to transmit, distribute, merge and other processing of optical signals on a plane. It is usually made of highly transparent materials (such as silicon or silicon nitride). PLC splitter is essentially an integrated optical device that divides the input optical signal into multiple output signals through a series of tiny optical waveguides and coupling structures. Its working process depends on the propagation and coupling principles of light in optical waveguides.

1. Optical waveguide structure:
The core of the PLC splitter is the optical waveguide structure. The optical signal enters the PLC chip through the optical fiber and is then distributed in the waveguide system inside the chip. A waveguide is a physical structure that can guide the propagation of light. It guides the optical signal from the input end to multiple output ends.

2. Material selection:
Common PLC splitters usually use materials such as silicon nitride (Si3N4) or silicon (Si) to make waveguides. Silicon nitride has a high refractive index, can effectively guide optical signals, and has excellent thermal stability and low loss characteristics.

3. Micro-optical processing technology:
PLC technology uses micro-machining processes such as photolithography, etching, and thin film deposition to precisely manufacture tiny optical structures. Through these high-precision processing methods, the PLC splitter can achieve extremely small size and efficient optical signal distribution.

Working principle of Fiber PLC Splitter
The working principle of Fiber PLC Splitter is based on the coupling effect of optical waveguides. In short, it connects to the input port through an optical fiber and distributes the optical signal to multiple output ports in a certain proportion. The specific workflow is as follows:

1. Input optical signal:
The optical signal is input to the input port of the PLC splitter through the optical fiber. The optical signal in the optical fiber is a high-frequency electromagnetic wave that contains the data to be transmitted.

2. Optical waveguide coupling:
The optical signal enters the PLC chip through the input port, and there is an integrated optical waveguide system inside the chip. This optical waveguide system will distribute the input optical signal to different waveguide branches, and usually uses the principle of optical coupling to distribute the signal. Optical coupling refers to the transfer of part of the optical energy between optical waveguides, thereby distributing the optical signal to multiple output ports.

3. Signal distribution:
The PLC splitter distributes the input signal to multiple output ports according to the designed distribution ratio (such as 1x2, 1x4, 1x8, 1x16, etc.). In a multi-port configuration, the signal is distributed and adjusted through multiple micro waveguide paths. The distributed signal may experience different losses due to different paths, but usually this loss is controllable and lower than the traditional distribution method.

4. Output optical signal: The distributed optical signal comes out from the multiple output ports of the PLC splitter and is transmitted to each required device or module through optical fiber. In this way, a single optical signal can be effectively distributed to multiple end users or systems.

Features and advantages of Fiber PLC Splitter
1. Low loss and high efficiency: The PLC splitter has very low insertion loss, which means that it has almost no signal attenuation when distributing optical signals, thereby maintaining high signal quality. Due to the use of high-quality waveguide materials and precise micro-optical processing, the performance of the PLC splitter is very stable.

2. High bandwidth: The PLC splitter supports a wider bandwidth, can carry high-speed data transmission, and adapts to the needs of modern high-speed optical fiber communication networks.

3. Passive design: The PLC splitter does not require an external power supply to drive it. It completes signal distribution through the natural optical coupling effect, so it is very energy-saving during use.

4. Miniaturization and high integration: The PLC splitter has a small volume and can integrate multiple optical functions on a chip, thereby reducing the overall volume of the system and improving the system's integration and stability.

5. Adapt to the environment:
PLC splitters can adapt to various environmental conditions, have strong anti-interference, temperature resistance and moisture resistance, and are suitable for use in various harsh environments.

Application areas
Fiber PLC Splitter is widely used in various fiber-optic communication systems, especially in situations where multi-channel signal distribution is required. The main application areas include:

FTTx (Fiber to the Home): In FTTx networks, PLC splitters are often used to distribute optical signals from optical line terminals (OLTs) to optical network units (ONUs) of multiple users, so that one fiber connection can serve multiple home or enterprise users.

Passive Optical Network (PON): PON technology is a fiber-optic access network used to provide broadband services. PLC splitters are used in PON networks to distribute optical signals to multiple terminal devices to support large-scale user access.

Data Center: In data centers, PLC splitters are used to distribute optical signals between different switches and servers to help achieve efficient transmission of large-capacity data.

Broadband access network: PLC splitters play a key role in broadband access networks, especially in applications such as fiber to the building (FTTB) and fiber to the community (FTTC).