Photonic integrated circuit design
Our photonic integrated circuit design (PIC design) are a core part of how we support your development. We supply expertise and facilities for the design of photonic integrated circuits as well as simulation, production, testing and characterization. But LioniX International is more than just a design house for photonic integrated circuits. We are also experts in a full range of complimentary design aspects in the system architecture, module design and design-for-manufacture required to develop scalable PIC-based solutions.
LioniX International PIC design services include:
- Specification scoping/architecture design
- PIC layout design and mask design
- Photonic simulation
- Electronics design
- Software design
- PIC packaging and assembly design
Photonic integrated circuits: From design to device
We work with customers with very different levels of photonics expertise. Irrespective of your experience in integrated photonics, we can bring the power of Photonic Integrated Circuits to bear for your application. We do this through a system-level design methodology that combines our photonic knowledge, with your applications expertise to co-create innovative new solutions.
Idea scoping and architecture design for photonic integrated circuits
Innovative PIC design requires input from both parties. At this stage we bring together LioniX expertise in photonic integrated circuit design, manufacturing and packaging and your knowledge of your system and application requirements. We work together with you to develop preliminary system level designs. Thereafter we either meet specifications using existing highly-qualified building blocks, or carry out simulations to design new customized functionality.
At the end of this process we provide a go/no go decision based on the manufacturability of the specified device, before you incur any more cost in design or production.
Photonic integrated circuit layout design
Designing for manufacturability also requires optimal chip layouts. Once system-level designs have been finalized, our designers convert the building block configuration into chip layouts. Subsequently, we use this layout to produce mask designs for use in cleanroom fabrication.
Fabrication and iteration
As a vertically integrated PIC design and photonics foundry, we enable frictionless communication between the design and manufacturing sides of your PIC project. At the manufacturing stage we generate process flows in our cleanroom. For efficient, low risk process development, we will often use standard process flows where they fit. Or where your specification requires new functionality, custom geometries or materials, we may develop new process flows. In order to de-risk this development, we carrying out engineering short loops to confirm the effectiveness of new processes.
Qualified building blocks for efficient photonic integrated circuit design
Whilst each new photonic integrated design project is custom to your needs, the development doesn’t start from scratch. By drawing on a library of highly qualified intellectual property (IP) building blocks, developed over more than 20 years, we can fit functionality and production processes to your specifications, reducing engineering time and risk. Our building blocks cover more than just photonic design. We’ve also developed extensive knowledge in the integration of light sources, modulators and detectors. Further to these technologies, we have well-defined ways for integrating your PIC into your wider system. This includes coupling light through fibers or free space, integrating electronics and developing packaging for your device.
Going beyond standard photonic integrated circuit designs
Whilst standardized IP building blocks give us a head start on development, we also work extensively with customers to trial innovative functionality in completely new applications. In this case, we can use existing building blocks as a jumping off point for custom development. Alternately, we can leverage our control over both design and fabrication to simulate or prototype new material integrations, component designs, waveguide cross-sections or packaging methodologies.
Your design, your IP
Whilst our building blocks offer a rapid development route for new PIC designs, innovative functionality relies upon your application expertise. We believe in working together to provide you with a powerful solution to underpin your product development. So whilst we retain the intellectual property rights on the building blocks we use to address your challenge, the intellectual property rights to your new device lie with you.
