Lesson 1: Getting Started
Before Installation
Before installing OptiBPM, ensure the system requirements described below are available. Hardware and software requirements OptiBPM requires the following minimum system configuration: • Microsoft Windows Windows XP with Service Pack 3, Vista or Windows 7 • PC with Pentium 4processor or equivalent • 1 GBof RAM (recommended) • 400 MB free hard disk space • 1024…
Installation
OptiBPM can be installed on Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7. We recommend that you exit all Windows programs before running the setup program. Installing OptiBPM on Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 To install OptiBPM on Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7, perform the following procedure. Step Action 1 Log on as the Administrator,…
Introduction to OptiBPM
OptiBPM is a powerful, user-friendly software system that enables you to create designs for a variety of integrated and fiber optics guided wave problems on your computer. Beam Propagation Method (BPM) is a step-by-step method of simulating the passage of light through any waveguiding medium. An optical field can be tracked at any point as it…
Introduction to Optical Waveguides
What are optical waveguides? Optical waveguides are the key elements of photonic devices that perform guiding, coupling, switching, splitting, multiplexing and demultiplexing of optical signals. Passive waveguides, electrooptic components, transmitters, receivers, and driving electronics can be integrated into one chip using planar technology, similar to microelectronics. Although the operation of waveguide devices is well researched…
Quick Start
This section describes how to create a design, run a simulation, view the simulation results, and save the design project. The settings and values used here are for this quick start only. When you create real-life projects, use the settings and values that you require. OptiBPM consists of the following applications: • OptiBPM Layout Designer • …
GUI Main Parts
The OptiBPM GUI consists of the following main parts (see Figure 2): Main layout: Contains all of the menus and toolbars that you need to create a project. Project layout: Opens in the main layout. You can add and edit waveguides, insert the input plane, and adjust the look of the layout grid and the…
How to use OptiBPM
You will learn how to use OptiBPM by: • Defining materials • Defining 2D and 3D channel profiles • Defining the layout settings • Creating a basic project • Inserting the input plane • Running the simulation Note: A new option has been added with OptiBPM 10.0.1, called “Auto define example profiles and materials…
Defining Materials
To define materials, perform the following procedure. Step Action 1 From the File menu, select New. The Initial Properties dialog box appears (see Figure 3). Figure 3: Initial Properties dialog box Use the Initial Properties dialog box to specify basic parameters. These parameters can be changed later in the session, but they are set at the beginning of the creation of a project…
Defining 2D and 3D Channel Profiles
To define channels for 2D and 3D profiles, perform the following procedure. Step Action 1 In the directory under OptiBPM_Designer1, under the Profiles folder, right-click the Channel folder. A context menu appears. 2 Select New. The ChannelPro1 dialog box appears. Note: To ensure that you can view all fields, maximize the ChannelPro1 dialog box. 3 Keep…
Defining the Layout Settings
To define the layout settings, perform the following procedure. Step Action 1 Click the Default Waveguide tab. 2 Type the following value: Width: 4.0 Note: All waveguides will use this setting as the default thickness. 3 In the Profile list, click ChannelPro1 (see Figure 12). Note: Both the default setting and the association of any…
