Inverse design of photonic device footprints and waveguide locations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024256732-A1
Application number	US-202318159006-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 24, 2023
Priority date	Jan 24, 2023
Publication date	Aug 1, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for designing a physical device is provided. A computing system generates an initial design that includes an input waveguide starting at an input location and extending to a end position, an output waveguide starting at a start position and extending to an output location, and a dispersive region. The computing system determines a set of structural parameters based on the initial design. The computing system simulates performance of the initial design using the set of structural parameters to determine a performance loss value based on at least one performance goal. The computing system updates at least one of the end position of the input waveguide, the start position of the output waveguide, or a size of the dispersive region in the initial design using a gradient of the performance loss value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform actions for designing a physical device, the actions comprising:
receiving, by the computing system, a design specification that includes an input location, an output location, and at least one performance goal; generating, by the computing system, an initial design based on the design specification, wherein the initial design includes an input waveguide starting at the input location and extending to a end position, an output waveguide starting at a start position and extending to the output location, and a dispersive region; determining, by the computing system, a set of structural parameters based on the initial design; simulating, by the computing system, performance of the initial design using the set of structural parameters to determine a performance loss value based on the at least one performance goal; and updating, by the computing system, at least one of the end position of the input waveguide, the start position of the output waveguide, or a size of the dispersive region in the initial design using a gradient of the performance loss value.

2 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein determining the set of structural parameters includes determining a signed distance field for the input waveguide, a signed distance field for the output waveguide, a signed distance field for the dispersive region, and a signed distance field for a functional design within the dispersive region.

3 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 , wherein determining the set of structural parameters includes:
projecting the signed distance field for the input waveguide, the signed distance field for the output waveguide, and the signed distance field for the dispersive region onto a first material density field; projecting the signed distance field for the design within the dispersive region onto a second material density field; and subtracting the second material density field from the first material density field to create the set of structural parameters.

4 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the actions further comprise updating the design within the dispersive region.

5 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the design within the dispersive region is parameterized by a plurality of geometric shape primitives.

6 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the design specification includes more than one input location and wherein the initial design includes more than one input waveguide; or
wherein the design specification includes more than one output location and wherein the initial design includes more than one output waveguide.

7 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the initial design includes more than one dispersive region.

8 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the initial design includes one or more internal waveguides connecting the dispersive regions.

9 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the more than one dispersive region includes at least one dispersive region configured to operate as a multiplexer or demultiplexer, and at least one dispersive region configured to operate as a waveguide bend.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the actions further comprise transmitting the updated initial design to a fabrication system for fabricating the physical device.

11 . A computer-implemented method for designing a physical device, the actions comprising:
receiving, by a computing system, a design specification that includes an input location, an output location, and at least one performance goal; generating, by the computing system, an initial design based on the design specification, wherein the initial design includes an input waveguide starting at the input location and extending to a end position, an output waveguide starting at a start position and extending to the output location, and a dispersive region; determining, by the computing system, a set of structural parameters based on the initial design; simulating, by the computing system, performance of the initial design using the set of structural parameters to determine a performance loss value based on the at least one performance goal; and updating, by the computing system, at least one of the end position of the input waveguide, the start position of the output waveguide, or a size of the dispersive region in the initial design using a gradient of the performance loss value.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein determining the set of structural parameters includes determining a signed distance field for the input waveguide, a signed distance field for the output waveguide, a signed distance field for the dispersive region, and a signed distance field for a functional design within the dispersive region.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein determining the set of structural parameters includes:
projecting the signed distance field for the input waveguide, the signed distance field for the output waveguide, and the signed distance field for the dispersive region onto a first material density field; projecting the signed distance field for the design within the dispersive region onto a second material density field; and subtracting the second material density field from the first material density field to create the set of structural parameters.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising updating the design within the dispersive region.

15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the design within the dispersive region is parameterized by a plurality of geometric shape primitives.

16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the design specification includes more than one input location and wherein the initial design includes more than one input waveguide; or
wherein the design specification includes more than one output location and wherein the initial design includes more than one output waveguide.

17 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the initial design includes more than one dispersive region.

18 . The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , wherein the initial design includes one or more internal waveguides connecting the dispersive regions.

19 . The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , wherein the more than one dispersive region includes at least one dispersive region configured to operate as a multiplexer or demultiplexer, and at least one dispersive region configured to operate as a waveguide bend.

20 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising transmitting the updated initial design to a fabrication system for fabricating the physical device.

Assignees

• X Dev Llc

Inventors

• Chandrasekhar Aaditya
• Williamson Ian

Classifications

• G06F30/20 Primary

  Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) · CPC title

• G06F2119/18

  Manufacturability analysis or optimisation for manufacturability · CPC title