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Photonic Solutions Enewsletter
February 2021
In this issue:
- Synopsys Webinar: Tips & Tricks to Speed Up Your RSoft Photonic Device Tools Simulations
- Synopsys Webinar: Fiber & Waveguide Design and Analysis Using RSoft Photonic Device Tools
- Semiconductor Engineering Article: “Testing Silicon Photonics in Production”
- EPIC PHOTONICS+ Conference
- DATE 21: Design Automation and Test in Europe Conference
- Synopsys Glossary
- Enter the Synopsys Student Optical Design Competition
- Optics For Kids
- On-Demand Resources
- Follow Us on Social Media
- Customer Support Portal
- Upcoming Events
Synopsys Photonic Solutions Advocates for Diversity and Inclusion
At Synopsys, diversity is in everything we do. We’re a company of 14,500 people in more than 30 countries around the world. There is a richness to our global reach, as we benefit from the beauty and legacy of many cultures. With that benefit comes obligation—to invest in our people, to empower their voices, and to promote equality and opportunity for all. Because when you work in a culture of trust, you’re more likely to bring your best, most authentic self forward—speaking up, sparking ideas, and sharing solutions. That’s what drives true innovation.
We encourage you to invest in diverse talent!
Synopsys Webinar: Tips & Tricks to Speed Up Your RSoft Photonic Device Tools Simulations
Date: Tuesday, 16 February 2021
Time: 16:00-17:00 Central European Time (CET)
Designers using RSoft Photonic Device Tools will learn best practices to obtain an accurate definition of their components. They will also learn how to use scripting to analyze designs.
We will also cover how to use cloud, clustering, and multithreading features to optimize simulation speeds.
Synopsys Webinar: Fiber & Waveguide Design and Analysis Using RSoft Photonic Device Tools
Date: Tuesday, 16 March 2021
Time: 16:00-17:00 Central European Time (CET)
Attendees will learn about the full design flow to study fibers and waveguides using the RSoft Photonic Device tools. We will start with the geometrical implementation in the RSoft CAD Environment and then present simulation algorithms to evaluate the performance and characteristics of fibers and waveguides.
Semiconductor Engineering Article: “Testing Silicon Photonics in Production”
In contrast to electrical testing, where basically a simple connection of conductors is needed, delivering and receiving light is not quite simple. Twan Korthorst, Director of Synopsys Photonic Solutions, said to the magazine:
-“This requires very tight alignment of optical probes to couple light into the chip to power up the circuit — and then either read out electrical signals with traditional electrical probes, or couple light out of the chip.”
Bryon Moyer, author of the article compiled a series of statements from different thought leaders on the field of PICs on a well written article comprising the current status and requirements for Photonic IC testing.
“As silicon photonics costs come down, the technology is being worked into new applications, from connectivity to AI. But full commercial production requires testing those photonic circuits before shipping them.
At a high level, photonics testing should be the same as electrical testing. Signals go in, get processed, and then the outgoing signals are evaluated. But below that level, testing with light is very different from testing with electrons”.
EPIC PHOTONICS+ Conference
PHOTONICS+ Virtual Exhibition and Conference, in partnership with the European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC), is a new photonics industry event taking place 17-18 February 2021. Join us at PHOTONICS+ for this innovative live, digital exhibition and conference.
Maryvonne Chalony, Business Development Manager at Synopsys, will present a talk titled:
A Holistic Design Approach for LiDAR
Maryvonne will explain the design of an integrated photonic LiDAR, from the discrete parts of the system to the integrated circuit, using Synopsys’ seamless integrated design flow.
Synopsys will also have a digital booth to welcome you and help you create an effective photonic design flow. Be sure to visit our booth and chat with our representatives.
Booth hours:
- 17th February 13:00-18:00 CET
- 18th February 13:00-18:00 CET
Attendance is free but registration is required.
DATE 21: Design Automation and Test in Europe Conference
Synopsys Photonic Solutions Director Twan Korthorst will chair the following session:
Executive track: Silicon Photonics & Optical Computing
Date: Thursday, 4 February 2021
Time: 09:00 - 10:40 CET
“The gap between memory and xPU bandwidth has been constant at 2-3X over the last two decades and, by now, there is a 1,000X gap between what is possible and what is required by applications such as AI. N5/N3, and Wafer Scale Integration (WSI) represent the extreme attempt to keep classical Moore’s Law afloat but, like fossil energy this attempt is not sustainable; there is not much room for improvement beyond 12” wafers and 3-nanometer CMOS. We are approaching an inflection point: an innovation tsunami is looming. Silicon photonics may leverage the existing semiconductor technology and its supply chain, to provide the foundation for Optical Computing, which is faster than Electronic Computing, more power savvy, but whose roadmap does not rely on nanometer manufacturing and does not suffer of its complexity. Most optical computing research aims at replacing electronic components with optical equivalents, building an optical digital computer processing binary data. While this approach appears to offer the best short-term commercial prospects for optical computing, since optical components could be integrated into traditional computers to produce an opto-electronic hybrid, these devices use 30% of their energy converting electronic energy into photons and back. More unconventional research aims at building all-optical computers that eliminate the need for optical-electrical-optical (OEO) conversions.”
Synopsys Glossary
Synopsys Photonic Solutions supports the development of skills and human talent in photonics and integrated photonics. As part of this ongoing effort, we created a set of glossary pages that contains basic concepts and terms that are widely used in the integrated photonics community. Visit the Synopsys Glossary
Enter the Synopsys Student Optical Design Competition
Students are invited to enter our annual Robert S. Hilbert Memorial Optical Design Competition, which recognizes excellence in optical design projects completed by students. Awards totaling $10,000 will be granted. Enter your project today!
To enter, complete the entry form and send us your optical design class assignment or thesis work completed during the 2020-2021 academic year using any of our software tools: CODE V, LightTools, LucidShape, and Photonic Solutions: RSoft Photonic Device Tools, Photonic System Tools and the PIC Design Suite.
Entries are due June 15, 2021.
Optics For Kids
If you have kids, visit our website to learn some fun and interesting things about optics. Optics is the science of light, and one of the most important fields of physics.
On-Demand Resources
See our latest on-demand resources to optimize your use of our product portfolio:
- E-newsletters with product quick tips
- Webinar recordings
- Application notes
Explore Synopsys’ photonic design flow with our online demo miniseries, now available on YouTube. These quick presentations highlight Synopsys’ latest design features in our Photonic Solutions platform. Watch the following videos at your convenience:
Follow Us On Social Media
Try our new QR code to see all our social channels at once!
Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and read our blog! This is an easy way to discover our latest events, seminars, Synopsys Webinars, application notes, industry news, and much more.
Customer Support Portal
Current customers can access RSoft Photonic Device Tools, Photonic System Tools, and PIC Design Suite resources and content at any time on the Customer Support Portal (https://opticsportal.synopsys.com).
If you haven’t already registered for Portal access, consider registering for an account today!
Once your account is activated, an e-mail will be sent to you to confirm your login information.
Visit customer support portal
Upcoming Events
EPIC PHOTONICS+ Conference
Virtual Exhibition
17-18 February 2021
Booth hours: 13:00-18:00 CET
Conference website
DATE 21: Design Automation and Test in Europe Conference
Title: Introduction about silicon photonics and optical computing
Session Chair: Twan Korthorst
4 February 2021
Time slot: 09:00 CET
Session: Executive track: Silicon Photonics & Optical Computing
Synopsys Webinar: Tips & Tricks to Speed Up Your RSoft Photonic Device Tools Simulations
16 February 2021
16:00-17:00 CET
Webinar: Fiber & Waveguide Design and Analysis Using RSoft Photonic Device Tools
16 March 2021
16:00-17:00 CET
For past enews, please see our archive.