VPIphotonics, a division of VPIsystems, has released VPIcomponentMaker Photonic Circuits. The optical design software tool aids in the design, analysis, and optimization of large-scale passive and active photonic integrated circuits (PICs).
VPIcomponentMaker Photonic Circuits optical design software tool is designed to support such InP and silicon photonics applications as
- semiconductor lasers and LEDs
- active PICs, such as switches, modulators, detectors, etc.
- passive PICs, such as arrayed waveguides, MMI-based (de)multiplexers, delay lines, filters, etc.
- device characteristics on the systems level (e.g., impact of noise, chirp, bandwidth, etc.)
The VPIcomponentMaker Photonic Circuits optical design software tool adds PIC elements to VPIphotonics’ existing active-device modeling capabilities for subsystem design and support of TM and TE guided modes. Simulation of the full longitudinal and spectral dynamics of lasers and semiconductor optical amplifiers with detailed control over device geometry and material characteristics ensures both the accuracy and flexibility to model complex device structures, the company asserts.
A newly introduced S-matrix approach for modeling passive components enables the efficient design of large-scale passive PICs in frequency domain and active or dynamically tunable PICs in time domain, VPIphotonics adds. Analytical models (based on coupled-mode theory, self-imaging MMI model, Fourier optics star coupler model) yield fast PIC design and optimization of design tolerances, the company says.
According to VPIphotonics, models incorporating measured characteristics provide realistic simulations of PICs with highly customized elements. Flexible characterization of TE and TM guided modes allows investigation of birefringence, polarization coupling and dispersion effects, the company concludes.
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