Low-loss SCF-to-MCF power splitter based on a biconical splice taper
Low-loss SCF-to-MCF power splitter based on a biconical splice taper
We present a splice-taper-based power splitter which efficiently and evenly distributes optical power from a single core fiber (SCF) into multiple cores of a multicore fiber (MCF). By carefully optimizing the design and implementing precise fabrication control, we achieve a record-low insertion loss of 0.3 dB. We further investigate the impact of MCF core inhomogeneity on power distribution uniformity of SCF-to-MCF power splitters. To relax the stringent requirement for highly homogeneous MCFs in high-performance power splitter fabrication, we propose a macrobending-based post-processing technique that equalizes the power among the cores. This method is experimentally validated, effectively reducing the power variation across MCF cores from 24% to 8% without causing additional loss. These results highlight the versatility and manufacturability of the splice taper approach for making SCF to-MCF power splitters with high power efficiency and very good distribution uniformity, even in the presence of realistic MCF imperfections.
Fiber optics components, multicore fiber, power splitter, space division multiplexing
Liang, Sijing
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Downie, John D.
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Makovejs, Sergejs
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Petropoulos, Periklis
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Jung, Yongmin
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Liang, Sijing
2fe0bfcc-99f0-46ee-8a2e-2a7857fbfb74
Downie, John D.
4c807b8f-8add-401f-b475-cd1be463b617
Makovejs, Sergejs
04f19df2-559a-4767-8bc7-5b93772c2ddd
Petropoulos, Periklis
522b02cc-9f3f-468e-bca5-e9f58cc9cad7
Jung, Yongmin
6685e51e-be47-4c96-8c4b-65aee3b5126d
Liang, Sijing, Downie, John D., Makovejs, Sergejs, Petropoulos, Periklis and Jung, Yongmin
(2026)
Low-loss SCF-to-MCF power splitter based on a biconical splice taper.
Journal of Lightwave Technology.
(doi:10.1109/JLT.2026.3674043).
Record type:
Special issue
Abstract
We present a splice-taper-based power splitter which efficiently and evenly distributes optical power from a single core fiber (SCF) into multiple cores of a multicore fiber (MCF). By carefully optimizing the design and implementing precise fabrication control, we achieve a record-low insertion loss of 0.3 dB. We further investigate the impact of MCF core inhomogeneity on power distribution uniformity of SCF-to-MCF power splitters. To relax the stringent requirement for highly homogeneous MCFs in high-performance power splitter fabrication, we propose a macrobending-based post-processing technique that equalizes the power among the cores. This method is experimentally validated, effectively reducing the power variation across MCF cores from 24% to 8% without causing additional loss. These results highlight the versatility and manufacturability of the splice taper approach for making SCF to-MCF power splitters with high power efficiency and very good distribution uniformity, even in the presence of realistic MCF imperfections.
Text
JLT_splice taper_v4_rev1_soton
- Accepted Manuscript
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 7 March 2026
e-pub ahead of print date: 13 March 2026
Keywords:
Fiber optics components, multicore fiber, power splitter, space division multiplexing
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 510619
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/510619
ISSN: 0733-8724
PURE UUID: 4d8ed0d1-e03e-486e-817b-bb0b930c212e
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Date deposited: 14 Apr 2026 16:42
Last modified: 18 Apr 2026 01:45
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Contributors
Author:
Sijing Liang
Author:
John D. Downie
Author:
Sergejs Makovejs
Author:
Periklis Petropoulos
Author:
Yongmin Jung
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