An Optical Splitter, also known as a beam splitter, is a passive optical device that divides a single input optical signal into two or more output signals. Conversely, it can also combine multiple signals into one. These exiting beams are differentiated by either their optical power (non-polarizing) or polarization states (polarizing). Non-polarizing beamsplitters are specified by their splitting ratio, i. 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. Beam splitters typically come in the form of a reflective device that can split beams into exactly 50/50, half of the beam being transmitted through the splitter and half being reflected.