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Solving Photonic IC (PIC) Design Challenges with an Integrated Workflow

Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) are rapidly gaining importance across a wide range of fields, including data centers, communications, sensing, and next generation computing platforms. In PIC manufacturing using foundry services, it is necessary not only to design individual components, but also to design and evaluate the characteristics of optical circuits composed of multiple interconnected components. In addition, measurement instruments capable of accurately evaluating fabricated PIC performance are essential.

Keysight provides an integrated design flow that combines conventional optical measurement instruments, light sources, and test systems with simulation and design tools specifically for PICs.

RSoft Photonic Device Tools employ detailed electromagnetic optical analysis methods such as FDTD, BPM, FEM, and PWE, enabling precise simulation of core PIC components including grating couplers, MMIs, and phase shifters for modulators. These tools also support output in GDS file format for foundry submission. Furthermore, by exporting simulation results and GDS files as PDK files, system  and circuit level analysis of complete PIC devices, as well as full layout creation, can be performed using ADS Photonic Designer.

Photonic IC Design Flow

RSoft Photonic Device Tools provide a comprehensive electromagnetic optical simulation environment equipped with CAD, various solvers, parameter scanning, and optimization tools. The base RSoft CAD platform is common to all passive tools, allowing users to switch between solvers depending on required accuracy and simulation time.
 
Designs can be exported in GDS file format for foundry submission, and structures can also be created using GDS files or scripted via a Python API.

RSoft Tools for PIC Device Design

  • FullWAVE FDTD
    Finite difference time domain propagation analysis tool (grating couplers, ring resonators, etc.), GPU acceleration supported
  • BeamPROP BPM
    High speed propagation analysis tool based on the beam propagation method (spot size converters, polarization rotators)
  • ModePROP EME
    Propagation analysis tool based on eigenmode expansion (grating structures)
  • FemSIM FEM
    Finite element method based mode solver (various waveguide structures)
  • BandSOLVE PWE
    Photonic crystal analysis tool based on the plane wave expansion method (photonic crystal waveguides/fibers)
  • GratingMOD CMT
    Design tool for fiber and waveguide gratings based on coupled mode theory
  • LaserMOD
    2D semiconductor laser simulation tool (Fabry–Perot, DFB, VCSEL lasers)

By using these solvers together with various utilities, devices such as optical switches and modulators can also be analyzed. In addition, the Custom PDK Utility enables RSoft simulation results to be exported as PDKs compatible with ADS Photonic Designer.


RSoft Product Utilities

  • Multi-Physics Utility
    Calculates changes in refractive index caused by thermo optic (TO) and electro optic (EO) effects, photoelastic effects due to temperature variation, and carrier induced effects
  • AWG Utility
    AWG device design tool using BeamPROP BPM
  • Topology Optimizer
    Automatic device structure design using topology optimization
    Propagation analysis uses FullWAVE FDTD
  • Custom PDK Utility
    Exports results calculated with RSoft as custom PDKs that can be read by optical circuit and system tools such as ADS Photonic Designer

In addition, MOST (Multivariable Optimization and Scanning Tools) are available:

  • MOST Scanner – Parameter scanning and scan plot generation
  • MOST Cluster – Parallel computation for faster simulation
  • MOST Optimizer – Optimization using methods such as genetic algorithms
 
RSoft FullWAVE FDTD screen on laptop

RSoft Photonic Device Tools & ADS Photonic Designer Solution

In PIC device development using foundry services, design is typically performed using PDKs provided by the foundry. However, foundry PDKs alone may be insufficient in cases such as:

  • Required components are not included in the foundry PDK
  • Performance needs to be evaluated and incorporated when design wavelength or structural conditions are changed
  • No optical characteristic data for simulation is included in the provided PDK

Using the Custom PDK Utility in RSoft Photonic Device Tools, such missing components can be created as PDKs and used together with foundry PDKs in optical circuit and system tools such as ADS Photonic Designer, enabling full PIC device simulation and layout creation.

Photonic Designer is an optical circuit and system simulation/layout tool integrated into ADS (Advanced Design System), an RF simulation platform. It enables:

  • Optical circuit characteristic analysis with multiple connected components
  • Eye diagram evaluation with modulation signals
  • Automatic layout generation
  • GDS file output for foundry submission

Key Features

  • Schematic driven design and simulation
  • PIC device design using PDKs
  • DRC / LVS functionality
  • GDS II output
ADS Photonic Designer on laptop screen

The Custom PDK Utility exports results calculated by RSoft Photonic Device Tools as optical S-matrix data and equivalent refractive index data.

S-matrix data represents the amplitude and phase characteristics at the output port relative to each input port, broken down by wavelength and polarization conditions, and can be used in system tools such as Photonic Designer.

Furthermore, since the data can include structural parameters and conditions such as gap width and bending radius, it becomes possible to design and simulate complex optical circuits composed of multiple components—which are difficult to calculate using component tools alone—by adjusting parameters within system tools.

RSoft Custom PDK

  • Optical S matrix data(amplitude, phase, wavelength and polarization dependence)
  • Equivalent refractive index (Neff)
  • Structural parameters (gap width, bend radius, etc.)
  • GDS files for layout

Available RSoft Tools

 
PDK and Foundries

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