Abstract

As integrated optical devices become more sophisticated, so does the experimentation and analysis required to design them. By augmenting conventional experiments with rigorous computer modeling we can lower costs, shorten schedules, and provide faster, more accurate predictions. Discrete modeling codes using finite differences or finite elements are the most general, albeit expensive. Nonetheless, they are competitive today by virtue of simple, robust algorithms and modern workstations that put near-supercomputer capabilities on the desktop. In support of computer modeling this paper demonstrates the practicality of timedomain finite element codes for simulating 2D and 3D devices on UNIX workstations. We describe EMFlex, a finite element wave solver for large-scale electromagnetic simulations, and apply it to highly confining dielectric waveguides in 3D routing and 2D grating couplers. EMFlex was originally developed for optical lithography and metrology studies¹'², funded in part by the NSF and SEMATECH.

© 1993 Optical Society of America