Flexcompute has published a study exploring how curved optical waveguides, tiny channels that guide light on photonic chips, can be simulated more efficiently. Using its Tidy3D electromagnetic simulation platform, the study focuses on a 90° Euler bend made from X-cut thin-film lithium niobate, a material whose optical properties change with direction, adding complexity to the simulation. Such bends are commonly modeled using FDTD, a detailed method that calculates electromagnetic fields throughout the simulation area, making it computationally demanding for larger designs.
The study instead applies Tidy3D’s EME solver, which models light using field patterns across successive sections of the waveguide. By comparing both methods across wavelengths and bend radii, the study finds close agreement between EME and FDTD while requiring less computational effort, suggesting EME as an option for initial waveguide design before FDTD verification.
Image generated by: ChatGPT