Star Photonics® offers the Asteria© package for simulating Integrated Optics building blocks such as waveguide modes, directional coupler, MZI, ring resonator and other, using analytical methods. For waveguide modes solutions, the supported methods are: Planar Slab (Maxwell), Shadow Region (Marcatili), Effective Index Method, Circle (Maxwell) and an Exact solution employing the Galerkin method. The Exact solution solves any type of waveguide cross-section and is a full-vector 3D analytical solution (matrix based).

 

Directional couplers are currently solved using data obtained by Doctor Modes™ in combination with Supermodes theory. Both the parallel and the curved sections of the coupler can be considered and analyzed separately. 

Circuits are analyzed using Steady-State models and can include the dispersions of the waveguide and couplers.    

 

Major Advantages – why using Asteria© modules?   

• Instant simulations (analytical solutions – No more exhausting FDTD/FEM simulations!!!).

• Analysis Tool integration (optimization & sensitivity analysis).

• Data Analysis integration (built-in tools for data analysis).

• Easy, graphically and specially designed user interface – No training needed.

 

Main Features:

 

• Analysis Tool can be used to examine and map properties of the structure with respect to changes in others.

 

• Effects such as Material Dispersion, Temperature and Doping variations can be viewed, simulated and analyzed (Silicon - SOI platform, Lithium Niobate Titanium platform and Silicon Oxide (Fiber Optic) platform).                      New materials and their dispersion can be added manually (via Material Manager tool).

 

• Fitting Tool can be used in order to try various fits and obtain an explicit equation.

      In addition, an Algebraic Tool can perform basic operations, such as derivatives and integrals, over the fitted

      equation. Results can be plotted in the main graph. 

 

• Electro-Optical effects can be fully simulated:                                                                                                                                           1)  Doping specific region of the waveguide. This is equivalent to the presence of charged carriers in this

                 region due to applied voltage by a structure such as PN/PIN diode or a MOS capacitor.

            2)  Applied voltage over electrical electrode, which is common for example, in modulator based on

                 ring resonator or MZI.

            3)  Loss increase due to presence of charged carriers induced by applied voltage.  

 

• Data Analysis tools can be used to identify regions of interest in 1D/2D and 3D graphs, in particular, when the graph contain many samples.                   

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• Couplers behavior as a function of the spectrum, temperature and applied voltage can be fully inspected.

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• Practical waveguide cross-sections, such as a trapezoid with lateral side profiles (Erfc, Gaussian), are supported.  

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• Filter can be applied on measurement data in order to deduce the circuit properties. 

 

• Circuit outputs can be connected to the next circuit inputs (chained circuits). 

 

• Graphs can be easily manipulated and detailed (zoom, tags, basic analysis and more). 

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• Command Syntax may be used to make general calculations, plot and inspect new graphs, control the various modules, and analyze the data from the software's graphs.

 

• Graphs, data and device structure can be enlarged, edited and copied to clipboard or be saved to file (vectorize+editable) for quick attachment to articles, reports and documents.