Starting in release 2023 R2, the CML Compiler Graphical User Interface (GUI) can be used to build and maintain compact model libraries, validate source data, edit and build compact model libraries, and run QA tests. The CML Compiler GUI can be launched by clicking the New Project button next to the CML Compiler row in the Ansys Optics Launcher:
The different areas of the CML Compiler GUI are shown below:
Menu Bar
The Menu Bar contains the following dropdown menus:
- File: Can be used to Exit the program.
- View: Controls whether the Tool Bar, Element Status Center window, and Output windows are visible.
- Run: Contains buttons with the same functions as the buttons in the Tool Bar (see below).
- Help: Has links to the online documentation for CML Compiler.
Tool Bar
The Tool Bar contains the buttons that can be used to run various CML Compiler functions. The buttons from left to right are:
- Deploy Lumfoundry: Opens a dialog window that can be used to deploy the Lumfoundry Template example library.
- Validate Data: Validates the format of the element source data files.
- Build Library: Compiles the source data into a compact model library.
- Install Library: Installs the compiled library in INTERCONNECT.
- Install + Prev Steps: Validates and builds the CML, then installs it in INTERCONNECT.
- Build Tests: Creates the QA tests for the elements in the library.
- Build Tests + Prev Steps: Validates and builds the CML, installs it in INTERCONNECT, then creates the QA tests.
- Run Tests: Runs the QA tests for the elements in the library.
- Run all steps: Runs all of the steps in the CML compilation process: Validates and builds the CML, installs it in INTERCONNECT, then creates and runs the QA tests.
- Verilog-A: This checkbox selects whether Verilog-A elements will be created by the CML Compiler. It will only appear on Linux operating systems.
- Symbols: This checkbox selects whether the Cadence Virtuoso symbols for the elements are created by the CML Compiler. It will only appear on Linux operating systems.
- Launch INTC: Launches Ansys Lumerical INTERCONNECT.
- Launch Explorer: Launches a file explorer window at the current Library path.
Element Status Center
The Element Status Center displays the elements in your CML Compiler directory.
The Library path specifies the root folder of the library source directory currently open in the GUI. The … button next to it can be used to change this root folder to open a different CML Compiler directory.
The library master file dropdown menu selects the library master file and is used to populate the element table. The Reload button next to it will refresh the element table with any changes that have been made to the library master file.
The element table displays the elements listed in the currently selected library master file. It has the following columns:
- Select: Used to select which elements are used when the buttons in the Tool Bar are clicked.
- Name: Name of the element.
- Photonic Model: The element’s photonic model.
- Validate: Indicates whether the element’s source data format has been successfully validated.
- Build: Indicates whether the element has been successfully built.
- Test: Indicates whether the element has successfully passed its QA tests.
To the right of the element table are the following buttons:
- Add: Adds an element to the library source directory.
- Delete: Removes the selected element(s) from the library source directory.
- Rename: Renames the selected element.
- Clear: Clears the Validate, Build, and Test status of all of the elements in the element table.
Below the element table there is a Select all/Unselect all checkbox that can be toggled to select or unselect all of the elements in the element table.
Output
The Output window displays the text output by CML Compiler. This text will indicate what CML Compiler is doing, and whether it is successful.
Below the output text window there is a Stop button and a Clear button. The Stop button halts an ongoing CML Compiler process. The Clear button erases the text in the output text box.
Using the CML Compiler GUI
For more information on how to use the CML Compiler GUI to create your CML, please see the following pages:
- Creating a New Compact Model Library
- Opening a Library Source Directory
- Editing Compact Model Library Properties
- Adding, Deleting and Renaming Elements
- Editing Element Source Data
- Building a Compact Model Library
- Creating and Running QA Tests