Patent ID: 7773851

Claim:
An attenuated planar splitter module for providing optical communication with at least one external output device, comprising: a splitter chip having a body, an input end, an output end, and a branching waveguide network associated with the body and that includes an input waveguide optically coupled to an input connector at the input end, the branching waveguide network having j≧1 50:50 splitters that form up to n≦2 j output waveguides having associated n output ports, wherein only m<n output ports are suitable for transmitting light to the at least one external output device; and a fiber array attached to the output end and adapted to provide optical coupling to the m suitable output ports of the splitter chip such that the m suitable output ports have associated therewith an attenuation in decibels of A O =10 log(2 j ), wherein the unsuitability of the (n−m) output ports is due at least in part to manufacturing errors in the branch waveguide network.