This video is taken from the INT 100 course on Ansys Innovation Courses.
Transcript
INTERCONNECT is a photonic integrated circuit design software package that allows
for the design, simulation and analysis of integrated circuits, silicon photonics components,
and optical interconnects in time and frequency domains.
The frequency domain solver in INTERCONNECT can be used to calculate the overall frequency
domain response of a circuit.
This is done by solving a sparse matrix that represents the circuit as connected scattering
matrices, each one of them representing the frequency response of an individual element.
Sophisticated analysis and visualization tools allow for the analysis of circuits behavior,
including amplitude, phase, group delay and dispersion.
For time domain simulations, INTERCONNECT uses a data flow system simulator, allowing
for more flexibility than using traditional discrete time or time-driven simulators.
The dynamic data flow scheduler calculates time domain waveform signals for each element
and propagates them bidirectionally.
The analysis tools make it possible to easily extract eye diagrams and figures of merit,
like the bit error rate.
Both the frequency and time domain solvers in INTERCONNECT support bi-directional and
multimode circuit topologies.
The rich element library provides all the necessary optical component including sources
and analyzers.
It also includes electrical elements for active component simulation.
Compact model libraries can be generated, published, and managed using INTERCONNECT.
Compact models can be generated using both component level simulation results and experimental
data.
This is aided by interoperability with Lumerical's optical, electrical, and thermal TCAD tools.
INTERCONNECT offers interoperability with third-party tools that include electrical
circuit simulators and layout editors for a complete photonic integrated circuit design
environment.
Some other useful features also shared by Lumerical's TCAD tools include parameter
sweep and optimization framework, powerful scripting language, and MATLAB integration.
As we have already discussed, INTERCONNECT can be used for frequency and time domain
simulations of optical circuits, components, or interconnects.
A few common application areas include photonic integrated circuit yield analysis,
ring resonators, Mach-Zehnder modulators, ring modulators, optical circuit verification,
fiber coupling, waveguide division multiplexing circuits, optical filters, and optical transceivers.
A list of some of the different applications of INTERCONNECT is provided below.