Photonic and Optoelectronic Devices: Modelling and CAD Laboratory (POEMLab)

This laboratory specializes in the advanced modelling, simulation, and design of photonic and optoelectronic devices, including semiconductor lasers, LEDs, photodetectors, modulators, photonic integrated circuits and solar cells. Its research activities are supported by a combination of proprietary models and in-house simulation tools developed over the years, alongside leading commercial CAD platforms such as Synopsys TCAD, RSoft, Lumerical, and COMSOL Multiphysics. The lab is strongly connected with the Interdepartmental Center for Applied Photonics (Photonext), where many of the designed devices undergo experimental validation.

Keywords: Semiconductor lasers, Photonic integrated circuits, Photodetectors, Optical modulators, Solar cells

Contact E-mail: det.POEMLab@polito.it

Position: Polito Maps

Research topics:

• The lab focuses on research in modeling and design, while experimental device characterization is conducted at Photonext, the Interdepartmental Center for Applied Photonics at Politecnico.
• Development of multiscale and multiphysics models for innovative semiconductor lasers: quantum dot lasers, VCSELs, lasers for integration into silicon photonic circuits, quantum cascade lasers in the Mid-IR and THz range. 
• Development of multimodal space-time dynamic simulators, with or without external optical feedback for quantum dot lasers, VCSELs and quantum cascade lasers. 
• Simulation of Quantum Langevin Equations in the semiclassical approximation (stochastic semiconductor rate equations) for the rigorous description of intensity and phase noise in semiconductor lasers. 
• Simulation and design of gallium nitride (GaN) devices for visible (green) and ultraviolet (disinfection) applications.                                                                                                                                     
• Design of silicon photonic integrated circuits. 
• Development of models and simulation methods for optical components in integrated circuits on the silicon photonics platform: high-Q microresonators with nonlinear effects, optical modulators based on microresonators, electro-absorption modulators, and plasmonic approaches. 
• Physical simulation of type-II superlattices based on antimonides using the Nonequilibrium Green’s Functions (NEGF) method. 
• Multiphysics simulation and EDA design of infrared photodetectors based on HgCdTe alloys. 
• Modeling and simulation of advanced photovoltaic technologies and devices (quantum dot, intermediate band, tandem, thin-film), based on both traditional and innovative semiconductors (e.g., perovskites), for terrestrial and space applications.

Available services:  

• The lab conducts projects and simulations using commercial CAD tools for the design and analysis of photonic and optoelectronic devices.  
• Alongside commercial tools, the lab has a strong tradition of developing in-house simulation software, which can be used in the context of collaborations, funded projects, or contracts.