We are setting out to bridge the gap between simulation and fabrication. We believe that by combining deep learning with photonics expertise, we can create a new paradigm where designs perform as expected the first time they are fabricated.

We envision a future where photonic engineers can focus on innovation rather than fighting fabrication constraints. By making advanced fabrication-aware design accessible to everyone, we aim to accelerate the development of next-generation photonic technologies that will power the world's next great applications.

Born as a spinoff from McGill University and the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), PreFab brings together academic and research expertise to solve real-world photonics challenges. We are bulding something new to make photonics design easier and more precise, and we are excited to share it with you.

At PreFab, we are committed to creating technologies that not only deliver exceptional value but are also intuitive and delightful to use. Our philosophy centers on combining powerful functionality with thoughtful user experience.

Fabrication awareness

We use computer vision to model how designs actually turn out when fabricated. This virtual representation lets designers incorporate real-world manufacturing effects directly into their workflow, bridging the gap between simulation and reality. Unlike traditional approaches that ignore detailed fabrication variations due to limited data, our deep learning system accurately predicts and compensates for these effects, helping your designs work right the first time.

Our fabrication-aware design approach enables:

• Accurate prediction of how designs will manifest physically on chips
• Verification of device performance before costly fabrication runs
• Automatic correction of designs to compensate for known fabrication effects
• Fabrication-aware inverse design (FAID) that incorporates manufacturing constraints directly into the optimization process

With virtual fabrication, designers can create manufacturable designs that approach theoretical performance limits while reducing the need for manual iteration and repeated fabrication runs.

Modern software design principles

We have built PreFab with modern software design principles at its core, making advanced photonics design accessible and efficient:

• Python-first approach enabling seamless integration with simulation and layout tools
• Simple, intuitive API that allows predictions and corrections in just a few lines of code
• Cloud acceleration delivering results in seconds
• Modular architecture supporting various fabrication processes and device types
• User-centric design built to suit the needs of the engineers that use it

Our software is designed to fit naturally into photonics development workflows, whether you are in research, prototyping, or production environments. By combining powerful machine learning capabilities with user-friendly interfaces, we are making advanced fabrication-aware design accessible to all photonics engineers.

Pushing the boundaries of what is possible

PreFab is starting small, but with a vision of a future where photonics design is as rapid, accessible, collaborative, and predictable as software development, and we want to share our vision with you. By investing our time in building a great product, we can help push the boundaries of photonics design and enable new applications that were previously impossible.

— The PreFab Team

Connect with us

Whether you are interested in our technology, exploring collaboration opportunities, or simply want to learn more about what we do, we would love to hear from you. Reach out to us at hi@prefabphotonics.com.