Towards an automated design framework for large-scale photonic integrated circuits

We present our approach towards an automated design framework for integrated photonics and optoelectronics, based on the experience of developing VPIcomponentMaker Photonic Circuits. We show that design tasks imposed by large-scale integrated photonics require introducing new “functional” types of model parameters and extending the hierarchical design approach with advanced parameter scripting capabilities. We discuss the requirements imposed by the need for seamless integration between circuit-level and device-level simulators, and illustrate our approach for the combination of VPIcomponentMaker Photonic Circuits and VPImodeDesigner. We show that accurate and scalable circuit-level modeling of large-scale photonic integrated circuits requires combination of several frequency- and time-domain simulation techniques (scattering-matrix assembly, transmission-line models, FIR and IIR digital filters, etc) within the same circuit simulation. We extend the scattering-matrix assembly approach for modeling linear electronic circuits, and motivate it being a viable alternative to the traditional modified nodal analysis approach employed in SPICE-like electronic circuit simulators. Further, we present our approach to support process design kits (PDK) for generic foundries of integrated photonics. It is based on the PDAFlow API which is designed to link different photonic simulation and design automation tools. In particular, it allows design and optimization of photonic circuits for a selected foundry with VPIcomponentMaker Photonic Circuits, and their subsequent export to PhoeniX OptoDesigner for layout verification and GDSII mask generation.