News Article
VPIphotonics and PhoeniX Software integrate solutions based on LioniX International TriPleX technology
VPIphotonics and PhoeniX Software integrate solutions to enable rapid layout-aware circuit design of ASPICs based on LioniX International TriPleX technology
VPIphotonics and PhoeniX Software in cooperation with LioniX International have teamed up to develop a photonics Process Design Kit (PDK) supporting a seamless integration of circuit simulation and layout design of application-specific photonic integrated circuits (ASPICs) to be processed on LioniX International's TriPleX™ technology platform.
VPItoolkit PDK LioniX represents a new pluggable library extension to VPIcomponentMaker Photonic Circuits providing circuit-level simulation support of the PDK building blocks for the integrated optical waveguide Triple X technology produced by LioniX International. Physical locations and orientations of building blocks on the layout can be specified directly in VPIcomponentMaker Photonic Circuits and integrated with PhoeniX' photonic layout design tool OptoDesigner. Furthermore, sub-circuits with fixed locations can be connected by smart elastic optical connectors enabling combination of graphical schematic capture and automated waveguide routing.
This PDK is designed to produce prototype ASPICs quickly and offer prerequisite functionality without delving deeply into the device layout and fabrication process. All the custom building blocks available in VPItoolkit PDK LioniX can be used alongside a broad set of standard modules and instrumentation in VPIcomponentMaker Photonic Circuits. Hierarchical circuit designs and advanced parameter scripting, sweep and optimization of layout-defining parameters, sensitivity and yield analysis are supported to help designers increase their productivity.
Once the ASPIC design is completed and optimized, its layout can be exported to PhoeniX Software's OptoDesigner for adding packaging and electrical wires routing. OptoDesigner is a photonics design suite enabling designers to automatically synthesize photonics designs, driven by fabrication information and required optical specifications. It is a platform for integrated photonics design and fabrication, with Process Flow visualization, Photonics simulations and Chip and Mask layout as the main modules. As a final step in the process, the GDSII mask layout will be created and verified and can then be sent to LioniX International for fabrication.
TriPleX™ is based on LPCVD processing of alternating Si3N4 and SiO2 layers. It allows for medium and high index-contrast waveguides that exhibit low channel attenuation. In addition, TriPleX™ waveguides can be used for operation at wavelengths ranging from 400 nm through 2.35 µm. The index-contrast and wavelength range make the TriPleX technology suitable for a variety of applications ranging from telecom to sensing.
