This　work　focuses　on　further　reducing　the　decoding　latency　of　the　successive　cancellation　list　(SCL)　algorithm　for　polar　codes,　considering　the　fact　that　some　path　splitting　may　be　unnecessary　if　a　bit　is　reliable　during　the　transmission.　Specifically,　during　the　node-wise　SCL　decoding　progress,　only　unreliable　bits　need　to　conduct　path　clone,　leading　to　the　reduction　of　the　number　of　path　splitting　and　the　decoding　latency.　On　this　basis,　this　paper　proposes　an　improved　simplified　SCL　(SSCL)　algorithm　and　an　improved　Fast-SCL　(FSCL)　algorithm,　for　low-latency　polar　decoding.　Simulation　results　performed　on　a　(4096,　2048)　polar　code　show　that　the　improved　SSCL　algorithm　reduces　the　decoding　latency　by　around　44.7%　when　L　=　4,　and　by　62.8%　when　L　=　8,　respectively.　Moreover,　the　improved　FSCL　algorithm　achieves　a　reduction　of　decoding　latency　by　about　37.3%　when　L　=　8,　for　a　(4096,　3840)　polar　code.　©　2022　IEEE.