News: Optoelectronics
12 August 2025
Wave Photonics launches PDK Management Platform to integrate foundry PDKs with EDA tools
Wave Photonics of Cambridge, UK (which was founded in May 2021 and develops design technology to drive the advancement and mass adoption of integrated photonics) has launched its PDK Management Platform to integrate foundry process design kits (PDKs) with leading electronic design automation (EDA) tools, provide ready-calculated SParameters for circuit simulation, and provide easy access for designers.
The platform reduces repetitive work involved in mapping PDKs to multiple EDA tools, allowing teams to focus on higher-value work. Photonic integrated circuit (PIC) designers can plug PDKs into the EDA tool of their choice with no extra setup required.
Launched with the first foundry adopter CORNERSTONE, the platform integrates PDKs into all major EDA tools with no manual setup required. Key features include:
- built-in compatibility with Wave Photonics’ EDA partners Luceda Photonics (IPKISS), Cadence (Virtuoso), Siemens (L-Edit Photonics), and the open-source GDSFactory, with functionality for Synopsys (OptoCompiler) and Latitude Design Systems (PIC Studio) coming soon;
- automated generation of S-parameters that work out-of-the-box with EDA/circuit simulation tools;
- IP management through built-in blackboxing feature and non-disclosure agreement (NDA) tracking, enabling controlled access and protecting the confidentiality of process data;
- automated documentation and version control that provides designers with up-to-date documentation and helps to avoid PDK mixups and accidental cross-use of conflicting PDKs.
Foundries can upload their PDKs directly to the platform. The platform then automatically generates S-parameters (which can use Wave Photonics’ fabrication models for improved accuracy), produces documentation, and packages the PDK for integration into EDA tools. Each packaged PDK is hosted on the platform with its metadata, enabling version tracking. Fine-grained access controls and NDA tracking features allow foundries to manage distribution and maintain confidentiality of the process data. Once PDK access Press Release 2 is granted to the designers, designers can download the PDK and design immediately using their preferred EDA tool.
Silicon photonics rapid prototyping foundry CORNERSTONE is using the platform to manage and distribute its PDKs efficiently across a global base of designers. Users can access the completely open-source CORNERSTONE PDK for each EDA tool at cornerstone.wavephotonics.com.
“We’re excited to collaborate with Wave Photonics to bring our PDKs to a wider range of PIC design platforms. Together, we’re building a more connected ecosystem that simplifies access, strengthens PDK management, and accelerates the development of next-generation photonic devices,” says CORNERSTONE’s PDK manager Dr Emre Kaplan.
“For designers, there is a lot of repetitive work required to access, set up, and get S-Parameters for a PDK, and maintaining and updating the PDK for different tools can be a burden for fabs,” notes Wave Photonics’ CEO James Lee. “With our EDA partners, we’d already built a solution to this for our PDKs and decided to offer this as a service to foundries so they can improve the designer experience and focus their efforts on high-value work and customer support.”
Cambridge start-up Wave Photonics raises £4.5m in seed funding
