An optical splitter is a small, passive device—no power needed! —that splits one incoming light signal into multiple identical outputs. You'll often see ratios like 1:8, 1:16, 1:32, or even 1:64, which tell you how many ways the signal is divided. For every 2X increase in split ratio, power is reduced by roughly 3 dB. Unlike active devices (which require power), splitters operate without electricity, relying solely on the physics of. A fiber-optic splitter, also known as a beam splitter, is based on a quartz substrate of an integrated waveguide optical power distribution device, similar to a coaxial cable transmission system. The optical network system uses an optical signal coupled to the branch distribution.