Fiber couplers

2020-2021

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Outlines

Basics of optical coupler

Types of optical coupler

Working of optical coupler

Examples

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 Optical-Fiber couplers

 An optical fiber coupler is a device that

distributes light from a main fiber into
one or more branch fibers.

 often passive devices.

(without optical-to-electrical)
Optical fiber couplers are often passive devices in
which the power transfer takes place either:

a) Power transfer through the fiber core cross-section

by butt jointing the fibers or by using some form of
imaging optics between the fibers (core interaction
type);

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b) Power transfer through the fiber surface and normal
to its axis by converting the guided core modes to
both cladding and refracted modes which then
enable the power-sharing mechanism (surface
interaction type).

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 Optical-Fiber couplers

 Couplers are bidirectional they can

carry light in either direction.

 Coupler are used to split and combine

the signal.

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 Application of fiber optic couplers

 Fiber-optic combine:- is a passive optical

device that enables a light signal on an optical
fiber couplers are used to combine two or more
inputs into one single output.

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Application of fiber optic couplers
Fiber-optic splitter:-
 is a passive optical device that enables a
light signal on an optical fiber couplers are
used to split the input signals into two or
more outputs

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 Splitters are widely used in most fiber
optic networks (PON, FTTX, FTTH etc.)

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 Classified by Shape:

Classified by Shape:-

 Y-coupler,
 T-coupler,
 X-coupler,
 Star coupler,
 Tree coupler,
which split the optical signal based on the power.

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 Classified by Shape:
Y-Coupler
Y-coupler also called optical tap coupler.
The input signal is split into two output
fibers. The power distribution ratio
between two outputs can be precisely
controlled, such as 10/90 percent, 20/80
percent, 30/70 percent, 40/60 percent or
50/50 percent.
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 Classified by Shape:

The T-coupler:-
This is simply a 1×2 coupler used to convey a single
signal to a number of different work stations. Such
stations are said to be connected on a network.

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 Classified by Shape:

T-couplers can be cascade to connect multiple

terminals on a network, as shown. The split ratio
between two outputs should be 10/90 percent or
20/80 percent in order to have enough power left
for next terminal in the link.

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 Classified by Shape:

X-Coupler (2x2)
X-couplers carry out the function of a splitter and a
combiner in one package. The X-coupler combines and
divides the optical power from the two input fibers
between the two output fibers. Another name for the
X- coupler is 2 x 2 coupler.

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Classified by Shape:

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 Classified by Shape:

The star coupler

A star coupler generally has several input and
output port combinations, in which the optical
power is distributed from more than two input
ports among several output ports. The number of
input and output ports may or may not be equal
in star couplers such as 2×4, 4×4, 8×16, etc.

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Classified by Shape:

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 Classified by Shape:
Tree-Coupler
 A tree coupler is also a multiport coupler. It
splits optical power from one input fiber to
more than two output fibers.

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 Classified by Shape:

A tree coupler may also be used reversely to

combine the optical signal from more than two
input fibers to one output fiber.

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Construction of couplers

Fused couplers

Perhaps the most common method for

manufacturing couplers is the fused biconical taper
(FBT) technique, In this method the fibers are
generally twisted together and then spot fused under
tension such that the fused section is elongated to
form a biconical taper structure.

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Construction of couplers

Mixing rod couplers

If several fibers are connected to a short length of large
diameter fiber, called a mixing rod, the incoming light
spreads out until it occupies the whole diameter of the
fiber.
The manufacturing process for the FBT star coupler are
bundled, twisted, heated and pulled, to form the device

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Construction of couplers

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The two principal manufacturing techniques for
producing multimode fiber star couplers are the
mixer-rod and the FBT methods. This method
can be used to produce a transmissive star
coupler or a reflective star coupler, as
displayed in Figure below. A reflective coupler
can be produced by putting a mirror at the end
of the mixing rod.

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Construction of couplers

In an ideal star coupler the total loss associated with the star
coupler comprises its theoretical splitting loss together with the
excess loss. The splitting loss is related to the number of output
ports N following:

Splitting loss (star coupler) = 10 log N (dB)

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Noted that:-
For a reflective star coupler N is equal to the total
number of ports (both input and output combined).

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Coupler sizes

A coupler with a single fiber at one end and two at the

other end would be referred to as a 1×2 couple (read
as one by two). Although 1 × 2, and 2 ×2, are the most
common sizes they can be obtained in a wide range of
types up to 32 × 32 and can be interconnected to obtain
non-standard sizes.

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Splitting ratio or coupling ratio

The proportion of the input power at each output is

called the splitting ratio or coupling ratio.

In a 1×2 coupler, the input signal can be split between

the two outputs in any desired ratio

In practice however, the common ones are 90:10 and

50:50. These are also written as 9:1 and 1:1.

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Splitting ratio or coupling ratio

In the cases where the splitting ratio is not 1:1, the
port which carries the higher power is sometimes
called the throughput port and the other is called
the tap port.

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The various loss parameters (four-port couplers):

 Excess loss is a real loss dependent on the total

output power compared to the input power. In the
case of the coupler shown above, the output power
is the sum of ports 2 and 3 and the input is at port 1.

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The various loss parameters (four-port couplers):

 Directionality loss or crosstalk or directivity

The ratio of the backscattered power received at the

port 4 (some of the energy is reflected back and
appears at port 4), to the input power port 1.
Which may be written as:-
  𝐏4
𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 ( 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 − 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐫 ) =10 𝐥𝐨𝐠 10
𝐏1

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The various loss parameters (four-port couplers):

 Insertion loss or port-to-port loss or throughput loss or tap loss

The loss obtained for a particular port-to-port optical path.

  𝐏1
𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 ( 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 1 𝐭𝐨 2)=10𝐥𝐨𝐠 10
𝐏2

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The various loss parameters (four-port couplers):

Finally, the splitting or coupling ratio indicates the

percentage division of optical power between the
output ports.

  𝐏2
𝐒𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨=[ ] × 100 %
𝐏 2+ 𝑷 3

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Example 1:-
A four-port multimode fiber FBT coupler has 60 μW
optical power launched into port 1. The measured
output powers at ports 2, 3 and 4 are 27.5, 26.0 and
0.004 µw respectively. Determine the excess loss, the
insertion losses between the input and output ports,
the crosstalk and the split ratio for the device.
Solution:
  𝟔𝟎
𝑬𝒙𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒔 ( 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒓 − 𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒓 )=𝟏𝟎 𝒍𝒐𝒈 𝟏𝟎
𝟓𝟑 .𝟓
𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 ( 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 − 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐫 )=0 . 5 𝐝𝐁
 

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  60
𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 ( 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 1 𝐭𝐨 3)=10𝐥𝐨𝐠 10
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𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 ( 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 1𝐭𝐨 3 ) =3 .63 𝐝𝐁
 

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𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 ( 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 1 𝐭𝐨 2)=10𝐥𝐨𝐠 10
27 . 5

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 ( 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 1𝐭𝐨 2 )=3 .39 𝒅𝑩

 

  0 . 004
𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 =10 𝐥𝐨𝐠 10
60
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 𝑪𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒌=− 𝟒𝟏 . 𝟖 𝒅𝑩
 

Finally, the split ratio can be obtained

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𝐒𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨=[ ] ×100
53 .5

𝐒𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨=48 . 6 %
 

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Example 2:-
A product sheet for 2×2 single-mode biconical tapered
coupler with a 40/60 splitting ratio state that the
insertion losses are 2.7 dB for the 60% channel and
4.7 dB for the 40% channel.

a) If input power Pi = 200 µw, find the output powers of

both the 40% channel and the 60% channel.

b) Find the excess loss of the coupler.

c) Verify that the splitting ratio is 40/60.

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 Solution:-
a) We first find P1
  𝐏i
𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 (𝑃 1)=10𝐥𝐨𝐠 10
𝐏1

200 𝜇 𝑊
0 log
( 𝑃1 ) =2 . 7 𝑑𝐵
𝑃1=10
  ( 𝑙𝑜𝑔200 −0 . 27 )
=107 . 4 𝜇 𝑊

  200 𝜇 𝑊
10 log
( 𝑃2 )=4 .7 𝑑𝐵  𝑃
2=10
( 𝑙𝑜𝑔200 −0 . 47 )
=67 . 8 𝜇 𝑊

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𝟐𝟎𝟎
( 𝑏 ) 𝑬𝒙𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒔=𝟏𝟎 𝒍𝒐𝒈 ( )
𝟏𝟎𝟕 . 𝟒+𝟔𝟕 . 𝟖
=𝟎 .𝟓𝟖 𝒅𝑩

  𝐏1
( 𝐜 ) 𝐒𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨 ( 𝑷 𝟏 )=
[
𝐏1 + 𝑷2 ]
× 100 %=61 %

  𝐏2
𝐒𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨 ( 𝑷𝟐 ) =
[
𝐏 2+ 𝑷 1 ]
× 100 %=39 %

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Example 3: A tee-coupler as shown in figure below, if excess loss of
coupler =0.3dB. The coupler is joined by connectors with an insertion
loss = 0.2 dB. Calculated the values of P2 and P3.
Solution:-
Total power reduction 0.2+0.3= 0.5 dB

¿
 

𝑃𝑜 =891 .3 𝜇 𝑤
 

The throughput power at port P2=0.9×891.3=802.17µw

The tap power at port P3 =0.1×891.3= 89.13µw

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Example 4:

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H.W
In the coupler as shown in Figure below, find the value
of tap power .

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References:-

1. Introduction to Fiber Optics, 2nd Edition, John Crisp

2. Optical Fiber Communications Principles and Practice
Third Edition, JOHN M. SENIOR.
3. Fiber-Optic Communication Systems Third Edition,
GOVIND P. AGRAWAL

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T ha nk

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