Introduction to the Alcyon Utilities package

Creating complex layouts in KLayout from Python scripts can be an arduous task. The Alcyon Utilities package provided within the Alcyon’s Toolkit offers photonic designers a collection of Python classes and functions to facilitate the process of layout creation, making this task much easier and intuitive. This package enables the creation of circuit layouts through a node and branch approach, placing and connecting blocks stored in libraries through a simplified scripting process.

These tools are included within the AlcyonPDK_utils package and enable the following functionalities through KLayout Python scripting:

  • Cells drawing

  • Layout creation

  • KLayout libraries management

AlcyonPDK_utils package can be used in any project involving Python script for KLayout.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please, notice that it is highly recommended to read the Alcyon’s Toolkit documentation, available at the Downloads area, before going through this document.

utils

Modules

The AlcyonPDK_utils package includes several modules:

  • layout_creator. One of the biggest contributions of Alcyon to the photonic integrated circuits (PIC) design process is the Layout Creator module. It enables the creation of circuit layouts by easily connecting blocks from user-defined, foundries and Alcyon’s libraries.

  • commons. It covers from geometric utilities for shapes drawing to technology and library management.

  • cell_replacement. This module is only available for foundries in order to replace Alcyon’s black-boxes by the real design prior to fabrication.

Go to the Modules section for a deep explanation of each of them.