DURATION: 4 weeks online instruction, plus 4 weeks to complete design DATES: 2026 (TBD) COURSE COMMITMENT: 10-15 hours a week PREREQUISITES: A background in silicon photonics is strongly recommended. Prior completion of AIM Photonics' PIC1 course (Fabless Design of Photonic Integrated Circuits) is also recommended, but not required. INSTRUCTORS: Prof. Juejun Hu (MIT); Prof. Carlos Rios (University of Maryland) Course Description This instructor-led online course provides an introduction to the fabless design of silicon photonic integrated circuits (PICs) specific to photonic sensing applications. Participants are guided through a step-by-step design sequence that culminates in a tape-out of a sensor PIC chip suitable for fabrication through AIM Photonics' multi-project wafer (MPW) services. Each course module begins with an introduction to the design principles and modeling protocols for each type of sensor. Participants are then walked through the process of designing the sensor chip using EPDA software from K-Layout and Lumerical. The course will cover: - Design of various sensor devices and sensing modes, including micro-ring resonators, MZI sensors, and interferometer sensors for biological sensing via refractive index shift - Waveguide spectroscopic sensors with integrated spectrometers for chemical detection through absorption and Raman spectroscopy - FDTD simulation optimization of the devices and S-matrix modeling of sensor PICs For each sensor type, we will discuss: - Design for performance: guiding principles - Device modeling - Mask layout based on PDK - Design for test & packaging All simulation and example design files discussed in the course will be made available for download. Registration The cost to register for this course is $349 for AIM Photonics Full Members and U.S. Department of Defense employees and $499 for non-members. The registration fee includes 100 hours of user access to the AIM Photonics Virtual Design Center, hosted by Nimbis Services, Inc., to work online with the industry-standard software and PDK library components to create an integrated photonics circuit design project.
