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Images show results of 3D Stress Strain model for pyramid quantum dot. Background is Ezz in YZ plane, bottom left is Exx in YZ plane, bottom right is Eyy in YZ plane
31 Jul 2025

Start Your Trial Period for New Quantum Dot Laser Simulations in Established Simulator HAROLD

Now Available! The long anticipated Quantum Dot expansion is ready for users. Learn more about what you can expect from this release candidate version and have your say on where development should take us next.

Images show results of 3D Stress Strain model for pyramid quantum dot. Background is Ezz in YZ plane, bottom left is Exx in YZ plane, bottom right is Eyy in YZ plane
Images show results of 3D Stress Strain model for pyramid quantum dot. Background is Ezz in YZ plane, bottom left is Exx in YZ plane, bottom right is Eyy in YZ plane

Photon Design, a global leader in photonic simulation CAD software, has announced that its quantum dot module for its HAROLD laser simulation tool, is now available as a release candidate for customer evaluation. The HAROLD module enables engineers to model a quantum dot (QD) laser's epitaxy structure, including dot size and distribution. Its eight-band K.P-based modeller predicts laser gain and absorption spectra, reliably matching the results of beta sample, quantum dot lasers in recent field tests.

 

Dr. Dominic Gallagher, CEO of Photon Design, said, “The HAROLD quantum dot simulator is at the forefront of quantum dot laser design. QD lasers operate reliably at higher temperatures than existing lasers, with superior modulation and data transmission performance, and heat and power savings. They also bring practical, silicon-based manufacturing benefits. Quantum dot lasers are expected to play a critical role in many, next-generation, laser applications, including supporting the move to optical architectures within data centres, AI, and HPC.

 

“The HAROLD quantum dot laser simulator is a release candidate which we are inviting customers to test and evaluate. It is a development of Photon Design’s long-established and well-respected, HAROLD, a mature simulation platform with an established library of material systems available to designers. When released, the HAROLD quantum dot module will have seamless integration into Photon Design’s PICWAVE simulator, giving engineers a full, three-dimensional, time evolving, quantum dot laser model.”

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All evaluations include our automatic optimiser Kallistos You may evaluate multiple products and evaluation periods may overlap (ask our team for their suggestions after submitting this form)

IMPORTANT – Harold’s QCSE module can be very insightful in just one month and so this evaluation requires a more supervision than our typical trials. The software will function entirely the same as the full version up until running the simulations for QCSE. At this point we require you send over the project files to us and for us to run the simulations for you. Returning these results to you will be our top-priority. 
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  1. The License: Photon Design grants the licensed company or institution (the Licensee) a non-exclusive license (the License) to install, access and use the Product on and from one single-user computer at the site specified by the Licensee (the Site), for the duration defined by Begin Date and Duration, subject to the following clauses:
  2. Employees: Only employees of the Licensee shall operate the Product or gain access to information gained from this License. An employee shall be defined for this purpose as a person for whom the Site is his or her main place of work.
  3. Purpose: The Product shall be used only for the purposes of evaluating its capabilities and performance and only at the Site. Use of the software to provide a design service or information to third parties outside the licensed company or institution is strictly prohibited. Use of the software to develop or improve a commercial product is strictly prohibited unless Licensee purchases a license for this Product within 3 months of Ending Date.
  4. Confidentiality: Any results or information obtained from or about the Product shall not be revealed to any third party, published or made public in any manner without the consent of Photon Design. Licensee understands that the passing of such information to a third party in contravention of this Agreement may cause harm to Photon Design and Licensee shall be liable to Photon Design for such harm.
  5. This software shall not be used in a way that may give rise to injury or death.
  6. Our Liability: The liability of Photon Design shall not include or extend to any claim for or right to recover any incidental or consequential damages, including but not limited to, loss of profit, data or use of software, or other similar claim.
  7. Return: The Product shall be de-installed from the Licensee ’s computer(s) in accord with all instructions given and all materials supplied by Photon Design to Licensee in connection with this License shall be returned undamaged to Photon Design within 5 working days after the Begin Date + Duration.
  8. Licensee shall not reverse engineer the Product. Licensee shall not with any license control mechanism associated with the Product in any way. Licensee shall ensure that no copies of the Product shall be retained after the Begin Date + Duration.
  9. Non Return: Licensee understands that if Licensee does not uninstall the Product or does not return all materials in due time as outlined in Clause 6 then Photon Design shall grant Licensee a Single User License Type A according to our standard license terms published elsewhere, and the full retail value of such license shall become payable within 30 days by Licensee to Photon Design.
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For a trial, software permissions can be given in two different ways:

USB Dongle- Will provide access permissions for the machine it is plugged into (local use only, no remote access). A key can be sent to you (with an associated delivery charge) or an existing licence key can be used if you’re already a Photon Design user.

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The dongle ID can be found on your USB key with PDW followed by your unique set of 3 to 4 numbers

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Once your evaluation is approved by our team you will be asked to pay a delivery charge for the USB key you have selected. [15 GBP UK] [55 EUR Europe] [55 USD North America] [85 USD Asia/ Rest of World] 

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