FBT and PLC Splitters

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.

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.

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,