CAREER: Cross-Layer Electronic-Photonic Design Automation and Co-Design Toolflow for Large-Scale Photonics-Empowered AI Systems

NSF Award Search · 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT · $600,002 · view on nsf.gov ↗

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating demand for faster computing and data communication, but meeting this demand with electronics alone is becoming increasingly expensive and power-hungry. As AI workloads grow, achieving higher performance often requires disproportionately more energy and hardware cost. Integrated photonics uses light on a chip to move and process information at light speed and low energy, creating a promising path to more efficient hybrid electronic-photonic systems. However, designing and manufacturing photonic chips remains slow and costly, in part because the supporting design software, models, and workflows are not yet mature or widely accessible. This project will deliver an open-source, end-to-end workflow that enables scalable, rapid, and high-quality design and simulation of electronic-photonic chips, while improving manufacturability and reducing design iterations. The resulting productivity gains and lower barriers to entry will broaden access to this technology and accelerate its adoption in computing, communication, and sensing systems. The project will also expand education and workforce development by integrating hands-on modules into undergraduate and graduate courses, offering online materials and courses, and growing a public seminar series that connects students with researchers and industry. The technical goal of this project is to establish a full-stack electronic-photonic design automation framework for large-scale electronic-photonic integrated chips for AI computing, optical interconnects, and sensing. The research will develop (1) fast, physics-guided simulation and co-simulation methods, including a learned electromagnetic solver for photonic device modeling and a circuit-level co-simulator for mixed electronic-photonic systems; (2) fabrication-robust inverse design methods that model process variations to improve yield and reduce costly redesign cycles; and (3) scalable physical design automation that synthesize

Key facts

NSF award ID
2544675
Awardee
Arizona State University (AZ)
SAM.gov UEI
NTLHJXM55KZ6
PI
Jiaqi Gu
Primary program
01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
All programs
CAREER-Faculty Erly Career Dev, Microelectronics and Semiconductors, DES AUTO FOR MICRO & NANO SYST
Estimated total
$600,002
Funds obligated
$360,002
Transaction type
Continuing Grant
Period
06/01/2026 → 05/31/2031