What is SPOCK?

Simulation Program for Optical Circuit Knowledge

Software programs to assist with the design of semiconductor lasers have been under development at SMU for many years. Existing software programs are currently being used to design the epitaxy structures for semiconductor lasers and to predict the resulting device performance. These programs deal with three distinct, but related areas: 1) quantum well optimization, 2) electromagnetic and optical field optimization, and 3) periodic structures and gratings. Programs in the first category optimize the active region and allows specifying the number of quantum wells, the amount of strain, the well thicknesses, and the well and barrier compositions. In the second area, programs analyze the index profile of the complete epitaxial structure allowing variation of the compositions and thicknesses of the various layers to optimize the quantum well confinement factors, to optimize the grating layer confinement factor for distributed feedback (DFB) and/or distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) gratings, to obtain the proper lateral index step for the ridge-guide structure, and to minimize the optical losses. Software in the third area allows us to calculate the coupling coefficients of DFB and DBR gratings or coupling between waveguides. Sponsored research at SMU has resulted in numerous programs in all of these areas. We are now undertaking to combine key components of all of these programs into a master program called SPOCK (Simulation Program for Optical Circuit Knowledge).

At present, a program to calculate the effective index, field distributions, modal confinement factors and the far-field radiation patterns of multilayer dielectric waveguides (with gain or loss) is available. This program is called Modeig II. There are Macintosh and PC versions.

Macintosh Version At this time, the Macintosh version only supports 40 layers. The Macintosh version requires a 68020 or better and a Math co-processor to run, and is not currently PowerMac native. If you would like to download the current version, click here. This file is a BinHexed self-extracting archive. To download this file, you may have to use the "Save this link as..." command of your browser, or follow the link and use the "Save As..." command from the file menu. Once you have downloaded the file, you must run it through BinHex or a similar conversion utility. Double click on the resulting application to extract the Modeig Application, Documentation, and sample input files. IBM PC version A The IBM PC version A currently supports 40 dielectric layers. If you would like to download the current 40 layer version, click here. This file is a ZIP archive. You might have to tell your browser to "Save this link as..." or use a download link facility to avoid viewing the ZIP archive. Alternately, follow the link, and choose the "Save As..." command from the File menu. Once it has been downloaded, you must UnZip the file. This version of Modeig requires a math coprocessor, but is not as memory intensive as the 100 layer version. IBM PC version B The IBM PC version B currently supports 100 dielectric layers. If you would like to download the current 100 layer version, click here. This file is a ZIP archive. You might have to tell your browser to "Save this link as..." or use a download link facility to avoid viewing the ZIP archive. Alternately, follow the link, and choose the "Save As..." command from the File menu. Once it has been downloaded, you must UnZip the file. This version of Modeig requires a math coprocessor, and more memory than the 40 layer version.: At this time, the Macintosh version only supports 40 layers. The Macintosh version requires a 68020 or better and a Math co-processor to run, and is not currently PowerMac native. If you would like to download the current version, click here. This file is a BinHexed self-extracting archive. To download this file, you may have to use the "Save this link as..." command of your browser, or follow the link and use the "Save As..." command from the file menu. Once you have downloaded the file, you must run it through BinHex or a similar conversion utility. Double click on the resulting application to extract the Modeig Application, Documentation, and sample input files.
IBM PC version A The IBM PC version A currently supports 40 dielectric layers. If you would like to download the current 40 layer version, click here. This file is a ZIP archive. You might have to tell your browser to "Save this link as..." or use a download link facility to avoid viewing the ZIP archive. Alternately, follow the link, and choose the "Save As..." command from the File menu. Once it has been downloaded, you must UnZip the file. This version of Modeig requires a math coprocessor, but is not as memory intensive as the 100 layer version. IBM PC version B The IBM PC version B currently supports 100 dielectric layers. If you would like to download the current 100 layer version, click here. This file is a ZIP archive. You might have to tell your browser to "Save this link as..." or use a download link facility to avoid viewing the ZIP archive. Alternately, follow the link, and choose the "Save As..." command from the File menu. Once it has been downloaded, you must UnZip the file. This version of Modeig requires a math coprocessor, and more memory than the 40 layer version.: The IBM PC version A currently supports 40 dielectric layers. If you would like to download the current 40 layer version, click here. This file is a ZIP archive. You might have to tell your browser to "Save this link as..." or use a download link facility to avoid viewing the ZIP archive. Alternately, follow the link, and choose the "Save As..." command from the File menu. Once it has been downloaded, you must UnZip the file. This version of Modeig requires a math coprocessor, but is not as memory intensive as the 100 layer version.
IBM PC version B The IBM PC version B currently supports 100 dielectric layers. If you would like to download the current 100 layer version, click here. This file is a ZIP archive. You might have to tell your browser to "Save this link as..." or use a download link facility to avoid viewing the ZIP archive. Alternately, follow the link, and choose the "Save As..." command from the File menu. Once it has been downloaded, you must UnZip the file. This version of Modeig requires a math coprocessor, and more memory than the 40 layer version.: The IBM PC version B currently supports 100 dielectric layers. If you would like to download the current 100 layer version, click here. This file is a ZIP archive. You might have to tell your browser to "Save this link as..." or use a download link facility to avoid viewing the ZIP archive. Alternately, follow the link, and choose the "Save As..." command from the File menu. Once it has been downloaded, you must UnZip the file. This version of Modeig requires a math coprocessor, and more memory than the 40 layer version.