End-to-end simulation in propelling the new wave of optics and photonics innovation (Plenary Presentation)

Significant advances continue to be made in the design and development of next generation optical and optically enabled products across many industries and applications, from automotive to consumer electronics, healthcare to aerospace and defense, data communications to quantum computing…and much more. These advances are being fueled by innovations in underlying technologies, including scalable manufacturing of complex aspheric and freeform geometries, fabrication of high efficiency micro-optic and diffractive optic components, and the development of photonic devices with directly integrated light engines and sensors. While challenges remain in component-level design, the next set of advancements in optical product development are being driven from a wholistic, integrated approach that incorporates all elements into a system engineering view. Simulation plays a critical role in enabling this system-level view, from the micro- (or nano-) scopic to the macroscopic level. In this talk, I will highlight the role of Multiphysics simulation in the design and development of advanced optical systems, such as optical interconnects, digital lighting, LIDAR sensors, and AR headsets.