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Working Principle of the Optical Splitter Patent

Fiber optic splice closure knowledge brief Published 31 Jul 2025

Prepared for preliminary research by the RIVO OPTICAL knowledge desk. Confirm cable count, splice capacity, sealing class, tray layout, protection sleeves and installation requirements against current standards and product documentation.

Optical splitters divide an incoming optical signal into multiple output signals using waveguide structures, relying on multi-mode interference, adiabatic tapering, or mode conversion principles.Spiral Waveguide Splitters

Some optical splitter patents use a spiral waveguide core surrounded by multiple adjacent waveguide cores. The input optical signal propagates through the spiral, and optical power is gradually coupled into the surrounding waveguides. This design leverages multi-mode interference (MMI), where overlapping modes in the spiral region interfere constructively and destructively to distribute power evenly or according to a desired ratio among the output waveguides. Spiral designs reduce the footprint of the splitter while maintaining precise splitting ratios and are suitable for integration on photonics chips with electronic components for compact, low-cost systems (US12372720B2) .

Trident Structure Splitters

Another approach uses a trident structure, consisting of a tapered first waveguide that receives a multimode optical signal and two oppositely tapered second waveguides arranged on either side. The signal in the first waveguide is adiabatically split into two single-mode signals in the second waveguides. The tapering ensures minimal loss and smooth mode transition, making the splitter suitable for silicon photonics applications where low insertion loss and high fabrication tolerance are critical (EP3561561A1) .

Asymmetric Taper and Mode Multiplexer Splitters

Some patents describe splitters that use asymmetric tapers to convert part of the optical signal from the fundamental mode to a higher-order mode. An optical mode multiplexer then separates the modes into different branches, converting the higher-order mode back to the fundamental mode at the output. This allows precise control of splitting ratios, including extreme ratios like 90/10 or 95/5, and supports broadband operation with low loss (US20240159963) .

Y-Splitters

Traditional Y-splitters divide the optical power evenly between two output waveguides. They are commonly used in Mach-Zehnder interferometers as 3-dB couplers. Modern designs improve tolerance to fabrication variations and reduce sensitivity to layer thickness, enhancing efficiency and reliability in integrated photonics systems (US20150104130) .

Summary of Working Principles
  • Multi-mode interference (MMI): Uses interference patterns in a multimode region to distribute optical power.
  • Adiabatic tapering: Gradually changes waveguide dimensions to split modes with minimal loss.
  • Mode conversion and multiplexing: Converts part of the signal to higher-order modes and separates them into different outputs.
  • Waveguide geometry: Spiral, trident, or Y-shaped structures determine the splitting behavior and footprint. These principles allow optical splitters to achieve precise power distribution, low insertion loss, broadband operation, and compact integration in photonics chips for telecom, datacom, and sensing applications.

Working Principle of the Optical Splitter Patent - RIVO MULTITRADE OPTICAL SYSTEMS [PDF]

Working Principle of the Optical Splitter Patent

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