Resolving Optical Path
OPTICA EGYPT // CALIBRATING
Resolving Optical Path
OPTICA EGYPT // CALIBRATING
Technical Program
Modeled after pioneering open-source silicon initiatives, the Optica Egypt Open Source initiative democratizes access to Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) design, simulation, and physical fabrication for Egyptian researchers, students, and engineers.
Core Philosophy: Build It. Test It. Publish It.
Inspired by the global open-silicon movement, adapted for optics and photonics.
Program Architecture
From open Python design automation to physical laboratory characterization, we are building a continuous pipeline for Egyptian photonics talent.
Full design flows powered by open-source Python frameworks, algorithmic routing, and automated layout generation without costly proprietary licenses.
Promoting standard, community-verified Process Design Kits with verified optical parametric cells, waveguide bends, directional couplers, and grating couplers.
An annual nationwide design contest where student and researcher teams design novel photonic circuits, undergo peer review, and compete for subsidized tapeout fabrication.
Interactive tutorials teaching fundamental wave optics, finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation, and silicon photonic layout step by step.
Modeled after open-silicon grants, offering travel and characterization grants for Egyptian student teams to measure fabricated chips at partner laboratories.
Tooling and Frameworks
No million-dollar licenses. Design, route, simulate, and verify optical chips using modern, verifiable open-source software.
Python-driven photonic circuit design framework with built-in component models, DRC, and electrical-optical co-design support.
Open-source finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation software developed at MIT for modeling electromagnetic wave propagation.
KLayout-based layout and verification package for silicon photonics, developed by the University of British Columbia.
Finite element mode solver for optical waveguides and resonant structures written in Python.
Modeled after global open-silicon chipathons, teams from Egyptian universities compete to design, verify, and document novel silicon photonic circuits using open-source tools.
Winning designs receive funded slots on regional and international Multi-Project Wafer (MPW) fabrication runs, followed by hands-on testing on optical bench testbeds.
Introductory hands-on masterclasses covering gdsfactory, KLayout, and waveguide physics.
Teams submit design rule checked (DRC-clean) GDSII layouts with simulation verification.
Independent jury selects winning entries for multi-project wafer fabrication.
Fabricated dies are measured using optical probe stations at partner Egyptian laboratories.
Looking to build open-source software tools for photonics or AI models for optics? Explore challenge tracks, seven-week sprint roadmap, evaluation rubrics, and team registration on our dedicated Competitions page.
Get Started in 60 Seconds
Install the open-source photonic design automation framework and run a ring resonator simulation directly on your laptop.
# 1. Install gdsfactorypip install gdsfactory[full]# 2. Design a Mach-Zehnder Interferometerimport gdsfactory as gfc = gf.components.mzi()c.write_gds("mzi.gds")c.show() # Opens KLayout viewer