#26-08Photonic Design Contest 2026/27

Addressed topics: Micro- and Nanoelectronics, Nano technology, Optics

Student research project   Master-Thesis  

Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) are becoming key components in optical communication, sensing, quantum technologies, and optical computing. Optical couplers are among the most fundamental building blocks of PICs, enabling controlled power transfer between waveguides and forming the basis for devices such as Mach-Zehnder interferometers, switches, filters, and optical sensors.

The performance of a PIC strongly depends on the efficiency, bandwidth, fabrication tolerance, and footprint of its couplers. Numerical simulation tools such as Lumerical MODE and FDTD provide powerful methods for the design and optimization of such devices before fabrication.

What you will do:

• Study the fundamentals of silicon photonics and PICs (Photonic Integrated Cuircuits)
• Build and validate simulation models in ANSYS
• Design passive photonics for photonic integrated cuircuits
• Evaluate coupling efficency, power splitting ratio, losses, bandwidths and footprints
• Perform tolerance analysis (etch depth, variations in widths...)

What you should bring:

• You study physics, electrical engineering or related fields
• Interest in integrated photonics andANSYS Lumerical-Simulations
• Helpful: experience with ANSYS, MATLAB or Python
• No prior PIC design experience required - an introduction is provided
  

Typical PIC building blocks:

• waveguides/crossings/bendings (routing)
• couplers/splitters (power distribution)
• phase shifters (phase control)
• resonators (spectral filtering & feedback)
• sources, detectors, modulator/switches

The Contest

• Everyone get the chance to simulate her / his own photonic components
• You will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and collaborate with other students
• Get the chance to bring your design on an wafer 
  

Apply until 01.10.2026 

Contact

Franz Tank
franz.tank@…