What’s The Difference between FBT vs. PLC Fiber Optic Splitters?

PLC – Planar Lightwave Circuit Splitter

Advantages

• Suitable for multiple operating wavelengths (1260nm – 1650nm); unstinted.

• Equal splitter ratios for all branches.

• Compact configuration; smaller size; small occupation space.

• Good stability across all ratios.

• High quality; low failure rate.

Disadvantages

• Complicated production process.

• Costlier than the FBT splitter in the smaller ratios.

  
  

FBT – Fused Biconical Splitter

Advantages

• The product is well-known and is easy to produce, thus reducing cost of production.

• Splitter ratios can be customized.

• Can work on three different operating bands (850nm, 131 Onm, and 1550nm).

Disadvantages

• Restricted to its operating wavelength.

• Because of errors in equality insertion loss, the maximum insertion loss will vary depending on the split and increase substantially for those splits over 1:8.

• Because an exact equal ratio cannot be ensured, transmission distance can be affected.

• High temperature dependent loss (TDL). The operating temperature range is 23 °F- 167 °F. Any changes in temperature can affect the insertion loss.

• The larger the split, the larger the encapsulation module.

• Susceptible to failure due to extreme temperatures or improper handling.