Method and system for generating a mask layout of an optical integrated circuit
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for generating a mask layout of an optical integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of selections;
representing a plurality of optical components with said selections, said plurality of optical components associated with a plurality of geometric shapes;
forming a design for the optical integrated circuit with said optical circuit including at least one of said optical components;
receiving an input;
selecting at least one of said selections during said forming step in response to said input;
associating said one of said selections with said one of said optical components;
defining said one optical component with at least one geometric shape;
retrieving parameters defining a manufacturing standard and defining dimensions of the geometric shape associated with said one optical component; and
generating a plot of the geometric shape for each optical component associated with the selections that are selected in said selecting step;
wherein said plot of the geometric shape for each optical component in the optical circuit is the mask layout used to fabricate the optical integrated circuit on a substrate, said mask layout defining at least one optical waveguide in said substrate.
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Abstract
A computer system and method provide a CAD tool by which a mask for an application specific optical integrated circuit, chip, or wafer may be generated both easily and quickly. The method involves the step of receiving the design for an optical circuit with the circuit design including at least one optical component. Each optical component in the optical circuit is defined by one or more geometric shapes, such as a trapezoid, rectangle, or an arcuate polygon. The method further includes the step of retrieving parameters which define the manufacturing standard by which the optical circuit will be fabricated as well as parameters which define the optical components in the optical circuit. Based on the parameters and the geometric shapes, a plot is generated which forms a mask layout for the optical circuit. The mask layout can then be viewed by a graphical editor whereby a designer can receive visual confirmation that the mask layout accurately portrays the desired optical circuit, chip, or wafer.
35 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for generating a mask layout of an optical integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of selections; representing a plurality of optical components with said selections, said plurality of optical components associated with a plurality of geometric shapes; forming a design for the optical integrated circuit with said optical circuit including at least one of said optical components; receiving an input; selecting at least one of said selections during said forming step in response to said input; associating said one of said selections with said one of said optical components; defining said one optical component with at least one geometric shape; retrieving parameters defining a manufacturing standard and defining dimensions of the geometric shape associated with said one optical component; and generating a plot of the geometric shape for each optical component associated with the selections that are selected in said selecting step; wherein said plot of the geometric shape for each optical component in the optical circuit is the mask layout used to fabricate the optical integrated circuit on a substrate, said mask layout defining at least one optical waveguide in said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 26)
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11. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program for use in generating a mask layout of an optical integrated circuit, said computer program used with a computer system to perform the steps of:
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providing a plurality of icons representing optical components, said optical components associated with geometric shapes; receiving an input; selectively combining said icons in response to said input; forming a design, based on said receiving step, for the optical circuit with said optical circuit including at least one of said optical components; defining said one optical component with at least one geometric shape; retrieving parameters defining a manufacturing standard and defining dimensions of the geometric shape associated with said one optical component; and translating the icons combined in said combining step into a plot that indicates the geometric shape for each optical component in the optical circuit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 27)
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15. A system for generating a mask layout of an optical integrated circuit, comprising:
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a central processing unit; a memory accessible by the central processing unit; means for displaying a plurality of selections, said selections corresponding with a plurality of optical components, said plurality of optical components associated with a plurality of geometric shapes; means for selecting one of said selections; means for designing the optical integrated circuit based on selected ones of said selections, said optical circuit including at least one of said optical components; means for defining said one optical component with at least one geometric shape; means for retrieving parameters defining a manufacturing standard and defining dimensions of the geometric shape associated with said one optical component; and means for generating a plot of the geometric shape for each optical component that corresponds with said selected ones of said selections; wherein said plot of the geometric shape for said each optical component is the mask layout used to fabricate the optical integrated circuit on a substrate, said mask layout defining at least one optical waveguide in said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification