Silicon Photonics:

Components, Circuits and Systems

July 2012

Lumerical Solutions, Inc.

Outline

 Introduction
 Lumerical
 Motivation and challenges
 Multichannel integrated optical transceiver simulation
 Waveguides
 Grating couplers
 DWDM filters
 Electro-optical modulators
 Integrated photodetectors
 System: Transmitter + Link + Receiver
 Conclusions
 Questions and Answers
About Lumerical

Our Technology
MODE Solutions FDTD Solutions

INTERCONNECT DEVICE
About Lumerical

Proven and trusted technology

 Patents and publications growing at 70% per year

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MOTIVATION AND CHALLENGES

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Courtesy of Dr. Michael Hochberg
Director of OpSIS
Vision

Comprehensive solution for integrated photonics

 Design and optimization of optoelectronic components
 Circuit and system level simulation
 Simulate circuits specific to given fabrication processes
 Generation of component libraries
 From parameterized models and component level simulation
 Validated for specific fabrication process
 Integration with other EDA tools
Motivation

Integrated optoelectronic design

FDTD Solutions
FDTD Solutions DEVICE
MODE Solutions
MODE Solutions MODE Solutions

INTERCONNECT

FDTD Solutions
FDTD Solutions
MODE Solutions
MODE Solutions
DEVICE
Motivation

Challenges for modeling software

 Throughput challenge
 Multi-wavelength challenge
 Geometric challenge
 Multi-physics
 Circuits and Systems
 True virtual prototyping
 Simulation must match experimental results of manufactured devices
 Integration into existing electronic design automation (EDA)
tools and processes
 Lack of standards in photonics
MULTICHANNEL OPTICAL TRANSCEIVER

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 Multichannel optical transceiver
DARPA-EPIC program*

*Tom Palkert, “Technical Feasibility Using Silicon Photonics”, Luxtera, Next Generation 100Gb/s Optical
Ethernet Study Group, Plenary Meeting Material, Nov 8th - 10th, 2011, Atlanta, GA, USA
Multichannel Optical Transceiver

2 channel transceiver definition in INTERCONNECT

Channel 1: Data IN Transmitter
Channel 1: Data OUT
MUX and output coupler

Fiber link

Input coupler and DEMUX Channel 2: Data OUT

Channel 2: Data IN Receiver

Waveguides

MODE Solutions modeling environment

MODE Solutions is
a fully vectorial
waveguide
eigenmode solver
and propagation
design enviroment
Waveguides

 Calculate:
Mode Group
Dispersion
profiles index

Bending Coupling
Overlaps
Loss length
Grating Couplers

Characterize grating couplers in FDTD Solutions

FIBER LAUNCH
Launch guided mode

S11
from angled fiber

S21
WAVEGUIDE LAUNCH

S12
S22 Rotated modal
expansion monitor for
accurate s-parameter
calculation
WDM Components and Filters

INTERCONNECT hierarchical element definition

…
COUPLED RING RESONATOR TWO-CHANNEL DEMUX
Ring Resonator Characterization

Ring can be characterized and included in circuit model

Optimize coupling section Setup ring as 4-port device

Build component model of a

single ring

Calculate amplitude and phase of s-parameters –

reincorporate into INTERCONNECT

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WDM Components and Filters

INTERCONNECT can account for parasitic reflections

Electro-optical Modulators

Component-level simulation of modulators

DEVICE uses a drift-diffusion transport

Electrical
solver to model the steady-state and
simulation transient behavior of semiconductor devices
Extract IV response and other electrical
characteristics like junction capacitance

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Electro-optical Modulators

Component-level simulation of modulators

Electrical
simulation n(r),p(r)

Import n,k properties into

Extract spatially-varying charge profile, which eigenmode solver MODE
modulates refractive index of waveguide Solutions
Va

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Electro-optical Modulators

Component-level simulation of modulators

Electrical Eigenmode
simulation n(r),p(r) simulation

MODE Solutions shows the spatially- Calculate neff and loss versus voltage
varying refractive index

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Electro-optical Modulators

Parameterize modulation response

Incorporate parameterized response
into circuit description

Insertion Loss

Extinction
Ratio

VπLπ
Integrated Photodetectors
Integrated Photodetectors

Calculate absorption along photodetector

Optical Build 3D model in FDTD Solutions

simulation

Can incorporate mode

expander or inject
fundamental mode

Calculation optical absorption along length of photodiode for import into DEVICE

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Integrated Photodetectors

Incorporate custom generation source in DEVICE

Optical Generation
simulation rate

Import into DEVICE

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Integrated Photodetectors

Calculate dark current & under illumination

Optical Generation Electrical

simulation rate simulation

Dark Frequency and

Responsivity
current Transient Response

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System Modeling with INTERCONNECT

System model includes component-level models

System Modeling with INTERCONNECT

Input bit stream, calculate eye diagram

Bit stream can be viewed in the Spectral response shows two Quantify impact of reflections
time domain channels and noise on eye diagram
Conclusions

 Silicon photonics creates many challenges for

modeling software
 Throughput challenge
 Multi-wavelength challenge
 Geometric challenge
 Multi-physics
 Circuits and systems
 True virtual prototyping
 Integration into existing EDA tools and processes
Conclusions

 Solutions
 Parallelization on modern workstations and clusters
• Distributed and concurrent computing
 Advanced algorithms
• Multi-coefficient model for material dispersion
• Conformal mesh technology to have submesh accuracy
• …
 Increase the number and type of solvers with the ability to move data
and results between them
• Ability to extract parameters
 Simulation of photonic systems such as photonic integrated circuits
 Work with key groups to validate simulation results against
experimental or theoretical results
 Ongoing work towards standards in photonic integrated systems
Question and Answer

Support Team Dr. James Pond

support@lumerical.com CTO
jpond.support@lumerical.com

Dr. Guilin Sun Dr. Mitsunori Kawano

Senior R&D Sceintist Technical Sales Engineer
gsun.support@lumerical.com mkawano.support@lumerical.com

Sales inquiries
sales@lumerical.com

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http://www.lumerical.com/company/representatives.html

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