Advanced Analysis

A rich set of sophisticated analysis tools assists the users in every phase of the project development.

• Scan and sweep of parameters
• Define variables for parametric circuit description
• Link building blocks parameters by mathematical expressions
• Check foundry rules
• Import data files
• Use stochastic variables for statistical analysis on fabrication tolerances
• Perform optimizations
• “Design of experiments”
• Estimate sensitivity and yield

Data visualization

AspicPlot is an advanced tool of Aspic, enabling not only to visualize the simulation results but also to perform fundamental post-processing operations and analysis. Aspic can easily import and export data in text and Matlab™ format.

Linear and log scale, two independent y-axes, zoom, markers and many other functions are available to support the users.

Experimental data

Experimental data and actual responses can be easily loaded and used inside the circuits, to perform realistic simulations, make virtual experiments, compare measurements and simulations, extract device parameters and improve the models of components.

The following technologies are currently supported as PDK libraries:

• HHI InP
• Oclaro InP
• LioniX TriPleX™
• LETI Silicon Photonics

Fast computation

Simulate thousands of building blocks at hundreds of wavelengths in few minutes!
The circuit-based approach is complementary to classical electromagnetic vision and ensures efficient and high-speed computation even for large and complex circuits.

Input and output waves are available at the accessible ports only as intensity, phase, group delay and chromatic dispersion for both TE and TM polarizations.

From schematic to layout

The circuit schematic can be used for the automatic generation of the physical layout in GDSII format for mask realization. Further, Aspic can exchange circuits with OptoDesigner, the professional parametric mask layout package by Phoenix, NL, avoiding intermediate conversions, preventing errors and saving time.

Design Rule Checking process prevents any unphysical and unacceptable layouts.

Scripting language integration

ASPIC is now available as MATLAB® or Python engine.
It is possible to combine the powerful and flexibility of scientific scripting languages like MATLAB®, Python with the ASPIC simulation capability in order to extend the analysis.

Designers can leverage on the scripting capabilities in order to automate and control the execution on large number of simulations and embed the ASPIC engine in their own functions. Moreover, the results can be analysed and processed with the extensive and widely known set of tools offered by the specific software package.

Aspic easily exports and imports simulation results and data from/to MATLAB®.

Process Design Kit

I work like a gardener or a wine-grower. Things come slowly. I didn’t find my vocabulary of forms, for example, all of a sudden. It developed almost in spite of me.

(Mirò, on his working methods)

This quote portrays at best the creation of a PDK. It evolves, progresses, enriches… it is a sublime blend of electromagnetic theory, circuit modeling, software coding and characterization techniques that only 25 years of experience in the field, the synergy with an excellent university and the passion for multidisciplinary research can generate. The in-depth background of Filarete in combination with the commercial expertise of Phoenix and the access to measurement equipments of the Photonic Devices Labs at Politecnico di Milano are unique!

Synthesis and design

Aspic provides a library of ready-to-use synthesis routines to design high performance, multi-stage integrated optical filters. Cascaded Mach-Zehnder, parallel-coupled or directly-coupled ring resonators are just few examples of the available options.