A funnel-type planar lightwave circuit (PLC) optical splitter having an
input optical waveguide, a slab waveguide receiving the input optical
signal from the input optical waveguide, and output waveguides projecting
from the slab region. The region connecting the slab waveguide to the
output waveguides is characterized by a segmented taper structure. In
another additional, or alternative aspect of the present invention, a
cladding mode absorption region runs along either or both sides of the
input optical waveguide. A funnel-type splitter with both a cladding mode
absorption region and a segmented taper structure provides a "super" low
loss splitter design, when considering both insertion loss and
polarization dependent loss. Advantageously, the disclosed funnel-type
PLC splitter does not require a quartz substrate due to its very low PDL,
and a silicon substrate can be used. Silicon substrates are known to be
lower cost, with a higher resistance to fracture.