Abstract: The invention provides a scheme for attenuating light transmitted through an optical fiber, using an attenuator including a base plate having a series of vertical protrusions extending therefrom and a top plate positioned to close with the base plate. When closed, the base plate and top plate clamp a length of optical fiber between the base plate vertical protrusions and the top plate such that an optical fiber bends around the protrusions. Also provided is an optical attenuator including a rigid base plate having a channeled depression, on one face of the base plate, that includes a nonlinear channel path along at least a portion of the channeled depression. The channeled depression extends from a first point at an edge of the base plate face to a second point at an edge of the base plate face to form a continuous channel path between the first and second edge points.