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VPIphotonics and PhoeniX enable rapid circuit design for TriPleX technology

VPIphotonics and PhoeniX Software, in cooperation with LioniX International, have teamed up to develop a photonics process design kit (PDK) that supports circuit simulation and layout design of application-specific photonic integrated circuits (ASPICs) to be processed on LioniX International’s TriPleX technology platform.

The TriPleX platform from LioniX International is a proprietary integrated optical waveguide technology based on alternating layers of silicon nitride and silicon dioxide. Waveguides fabricated in this system offer very low channel attenuation across a broad wavelength range from 400nm to 2.35μm.

VPItoolkit PDK LioniX is a new pluggable library extension to VPIcomponentMaker Photonic Circuits, to provide circuit-level simulation of the building blocks for TriPleX waveguide technology. Each building block is characterised by only a few user-defined parameters and is represented with an adequate simulation model.

These tools allow a designer to create prototype ASPICs without going deep into the details of 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. The software supports hierarchical circuit designs and advanced parameter scripting, sweep and optimisation of layout-defining parameters, sensitivity and yield analysis.

Finally, once the ASPIC design is completed and optimised, its layout can be exported to PhoeniX Software’s OptoDesigner to add packaging and electrical wire routing. OptoDesigner is the definitive platform for integrated photonics design and fabrication, with process flow visualisation, photonics simulations and chip and mask layout as the main modules. As last step, the GDSII mask layout will be created and verified, ready to be sent to LioniX International for fabrication.

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