Product Portfolio
For tasks like combining or coupling light from two or more optical fibers into one, splitting light from one into two or more fibers, as well as multiplexing or de-multiplexing optical signals of varying wavelengths to or from a common fiber (wavelength division multiplexing, WDM), a very broad and complete line of fiber optic components is available from AMS Technologies.
Wavelength Division Multiplexers (WDMs)
Our series of component-style single mode (SM) wavelength division multiplexers (WDMs) is used to combine light of different wavelengths into a single fiber and includes variants like “source to fiber” or miniature size WDMs, ideal for telecommunication applications. An additional series of SM WDMs is widely used in EDFAs, combining the pump power and optical signal into the Er-doped fiber. The broad range of low-loss fused fiber SM WDMs enables two or three wavelengths to be combined or separated.
Multi mode (MM) WDMs are available for 850/1310 nm or covering a wavelength range from 400 to 1600 µm, including visible wavelength (RGB) versions.
The fused polarization maintaining (PM) WDMs combine multiple wavelengths of light in a PM fiber whilst maintaining polarization. Additional series of PM WDMs are available in pigtail, miniature and free-space to fiber styles, or include devices with built-in filters.
Couplers / Combiners
A comprehensive series of component-style single mode (SM) couplers and combiners includes standard-, mini- and needle-size couplers, dual- and three-window variants, as well as wide- and all-band couplers and combiners. Our portfolio comprises also SM couplers in low-loss fused fiber technology as well as module-style SM couplers and combiners in small or in 19-inch-cases.
Typically used for short distance data transmission, fused multi mode (MM) couplers and combiners, as well as are capable of operating over a broad wavelength range.
For the series of polarization maintaining (PM) couplers and combiners, the coupling ratio and/or wavelength can be selected according to the customer’s request. A wide variety of options are also available for our series of fused PM couplers and combiners. The product range of PM couplers is complemented by devices based on bow-tie fibers.
High-power, multi mode (MM) Nx1 pump combiners are passive components designed for high-power fiber laser applications. Fabricated with a proprietary controlled fusion process, the series of MM power combiners enables high coupling efficiency over a wide wavelength range – available also with signal feedthrough.
We also carry couplers for special applications, including high temperature couplers, enabling continuous operation at up to +250°C, sub-zero PM couplers operating reliably from -55°C, as well as fused dual-clad fiber (FDCF) couplers.
Splitters
Miniature fiber optic beam splitters are available as single mode (SM) splitters or as polarization maintaining (PM) splitters. These rugged and miniature component-style devices are used to split the light traveling through a fiber into two fibers, or to split or combine orthogonally polarized light into separate fibers. Built with PM Panda fiber, an additional series of component-style PM splitters contains micro-optic devices that transmit a signal from one of the inputs to the outputs (2 to 16) while maintaining the polarization of the signal, while the module-style PM splitters allow the input signal to be split into multi channels at a given splitting ratio.
Related Products
Our fiber WDMs, combiners, splitters and couplers can be used with our broad range of optical fibers, patch cables, bundles and assemblies, driven by our various lasers and light sources.
Beyond WDMs, combiners, splitters and couplers, further fiber components are available like light to fiber couplers/collimators, fiber connectors, mating sleeves and adapters, collimators and focusers, fiber amplifiers, attenuators and polarization controllers, as well as fiber optic circulators, delay lines, filters, isolators, switches and other fiber optic assemblies.
Our portfolio of precision optics includes optical lenses, optics assemblies, optical filters, optical prisms, optical mirrors, optical beamsplitters, etalons, optical gratings, optical isolators and polarization optics as well as optical scanners and deflectors or optical modulators, q-switches and Pockels cells.
For mounting, adjusting and moving our optical components with high precision, we carry an array of optomechanics and motion control such as optical mounts, rotary and translation stages plus motion controllers as well as optical tables, breadboards and platforms.
Definition
Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) is a process in which several optical signals (usually generated by lasers) with different wavelengths are combined, transmitted together via a medium (usually optical fiber) and separated from each other again at the receiver end. Each laser generates light in a narrow-band wavelength range and thus forms its own transmission channel in the common fiber.
Optical coupling elements (wavelength division multiplexers, WDM couplers/combiners or simply WDMs) bundle many of these modulated signals into one fiber and thus enable simultaneous but independent transmission.
Wavelength-sensitive wavelength division demultiplexers (WDM splitters or again simply WDMs) at the destination of the optical multiplex connection separate the individual optical transmission channels from each other again.
WDM is mainly used in optical communication, where it allows data transmission in different channels with slightly different wavelengths – which again increases the transmission capacity of a (fiber) optical link by a considerable factor.
A fiber optic coupler or combiner is a component that couples the light from two or more fibers into a common fiber output. The signals from the individual fibers are thus combined and are available at a common optical output. Fiber optic pump combiners or power combiners are dedicated to deliver energy to an amplifying medium (fiber amplifier or fiber laser).
Fiber optic splitters divide the signal of an input fiber into two or more output fibers. In addition to an equal distribution of the optical power to the outputs (e.g. 50/50 with two outputs), asymmetrical splitting ratios are also possible (e.g. 20/80, 10/90 or 1/99).
Alternative Terms: Fiber Optic WDM; Fiber Optic Wavelength Multiplexer; Fiber Optic Wavelength Demultiplexer; Fiber Splitter; Fiber Combiner; Fiber Coupler; Pump Combiner; Power Combiner
