Photon Design, a global leader in photonic simulation CAD software, will be exhibiting at the Optica Laser Congress and Exhibition in Prague, Stand 142, 19 - 23 October 2025. The exhibition highlights advanced laser research, novel applications and products. It provides Photon Design with an ideal venue to present updates to three of its laser simulation tools:
a quantum dot module for HAROLD; a PCSEL solution using HAROLD and OmniSim; and the PICWave, photonic integrated circuit (PIC) design tool.

Dr. Dominic Gallagher, CEO of Photon Design, said, “Quantum dot lasers are at the forefront of next-generation LiDAR, datacoms, AI, and HPC, due to the size, heat, and power savings they offer in high-power laser applications. Our HAROLD simulation tool now includes a quantum dot module, enabling engineers to model epitaxy structures, dot size, and istribution, with gain and absorption spectra results reliably matching real-world lasers.

“Our PCSEL (Photonic Crystal Surface-Emitting Lasers) solution integrates HAROLD and OmniSim to deliver high-power, coherent laser sources. HAROLD simulates a range of epitaxy structures, while OmniSim uses FDTD modelling to simulate light propagation and gain. Lastly PICWave, which is a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) design and simulation tool, integrates laser diode and SOA modelling within a flexible, design flow environment.

“Enhancements to our PICWave and HAROLD laser simulation tools have been partly enabled by the addition of an application engineering function to our development team. This strategic change has enabled us to accelerate the launch of new features and improve the performance and productivity of our simulations, further strengthening Photon Design’s
position as a leader in laser design.”