A coupler functions by redistributing light from one or more input fibers into one or more output fibers.

It does this without requiring external power, relying instead on physical principles like evanescent field coupling or fused biconical taper (FBT) technology.

In FBT couplers, two or more fibers are precisely fused and tapered together, allowing light to transfer between them.

The ratio of light division—known as the coupling ratio—is determined during manufacturing and can be tailored to specific network needs.

Couplers come in various configurations depending on their purpose. Directional couplers split light in a specific direction and are used in bidirectional systems. Star couplers distribute signals evenly from one input to multiple outputs, ideal for broadcasting in LANs.

Tree couplers, often called splitters, divide signals into unequal proportions for applications requiring different signal strengths.

There are also X-couplers, which combine and split signals simultaneously, and T-couplers, which offer unequal power distribution across outputs.

Couplers can be designed for single-mode or multimode fibers, and their performance is characterized by parameters such as insertion loss, splitting ratio, and polarization-dependent loss.

While most couplers are passive, active couplers exist and use optical-to-electrical conversion to manage signals, though they are less common in standard fiber deployments

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