Pump and PM signal combiners are critical fiber optic components. They combine multiple optical signals into one fiber for transmission. The cost of these combiners depends on several factors. This blog discusses the key cost factors for pump combiners and PM signal combiners.

What is a Pump Combiner?

A pump combiner combines multiple high-power pump laser signals into one output fiber. It is used with fiber amplifiers and lasers. Pump combiners come in two types – multimode and single mode.

Multimode pump combiners use fused fiber bundles to combine pump signals from multimode fiber inputs. Single mode pump combiners use free space optics with dichroic mirrors to combine pump signals from single mode fiber inputs.

What is a PM Signal Combiner?

A PM (polarization maintaining) signal combiner combines two orthogonally polarized signals into one polarization maintained output fiber. It is used in coherent transmission systems that require maintaining the state of polarization.

Pump and PM signal combiners use free space optics with polarization beam splitters and combiners. The two input signals are combined with their polarization states preserved in the PM output fiber.

Factors Impacting Pump Combiner Cost

  1. Multimode vs. Single Mode
  • Multimode pump combiners are lower cost.
  • Single mode pump combiners are higher cost.
  1. Number of Input Fibers
  • Higher the number of inputs, higher the cost.
  • Multimode can combine more inputs than single mode.
  1. Pump Power Handling
  • Higher power handling increases cost.
  • Multimode has higher power handling than single mode.
  1. Package Type
  • Lower cost for fiber pigtail package
  • Higher cost for integrated module package
  1. Operating Wavelength
  • 980nm is lower cost than 1480nm pump combiners.
  1. Fiber Type
  • PM fiber combiners cost more than non-PM
  • Added cost for maintaining polarization

Typical Multimode Pump Combiner Costs

  • 4 to 8 input fiber bundle: $500 – $1,500
  • 16 to 24 input fiber bundle: $2,000 – $5,000
  • High power (>100W) handling: $5,000 – $10,000

Typical Single Mode Pump Combiner Costs

  • 2 to 4 input combiners: $2,000 – $5,000
  • 6 to 8 input combiners: $5,000 – $10,000
  • High power (>50W) handling: $10,000+

Factors Impacting Pump and PM Signal Combiner Cost

  1. Number of Input Fibers
  • 2 inputs is standard; higher inputs increase cost
  1. Operating Wavelength
  • C-band (1530-1565nm) is most common and lowest cost
  • L-band combiners cost more
  1. Return Loss
  • Higher return loss requirement increases cost
  1. Fiber Type
  • PM fiber increases cost over standard fiber
  • Added cost for polarization maintaining capability
  1. Package Type
  • Lower cost for fiber pigtail package
  • Higher cost for integrated module package
  1. Input Power Handling
  • Higher input power handling increases cost

Typical PM Signal Combiner Costs

  • C-band, 2 input fibers: $1,000 – $3,000
  • C-band, 2×2 input fibers: $3,000 – $7,000
  • L-band combiners: $5,000 – $10,000
  • High return loss (>60dB): $5,000+
  • High power (>500mW) handling: $5,000+

The cost of pump combiners and PM signal combiners depends on several factors. For pump combiners, the key cost factors are multimode vs. single mode, number of inputs, power handling, package type, wavelength, and PM capability. Multimode combiners are lower cost but limited by distance. Single mode combiners are higher cost but enable long-haul transmission.

For pump and PM signal combiners, the major cost factors are number of inputs, wavelength band, return loss, PM capability, power handling, and package type. Higher performance specifications such as high return loss, higher power handling, and non-standard wavelengths increase the cost.

Prices of a pump and PM signal combiner can range from $500 for basic multimode pump combiners to over $10,000 for high-performance single mode and PM combiners. Understanding the key requirements helps determine the appropriate cost-effective solution.