Intern, Digital Twin of Liquid Crystal Optical Circuit Switch (OCS)

Coherent Corp. • Santa Clara, CA

30d • Onsite

About The Position

At Coherent, interns in the CTO organization contribute to forward-looking research initiatives exploring next-generation optical architectures and switching technologies. This internship offers the opportunity to work alongside leading experts in photonics and optical systems to investigate advanced liquid crystal–based optical switching technologies for future data center and high-performance computing networks.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

Develop a digital twin model for Liquid Crystal–based optical circuit switching
architectures, including spatial light modulators, LC beam steering devices, and
free-space optical relay systems.

• Model free-space optical propagation and system performance using optical
design tools such as Zemax OpticStudio or equivalent ray-tracing platforms.

• Investigate polarization-diverse switching architectures to support
polarization-insensitive operation and improve switching efficiency and
scalability.

• Simulate electro-optic behavior of liquid crystal devices, including phase
modulation, birefringence control, and beam steering mechanisms.

• Explore co-design methodologies that jointly optimize LC device physics and
system architecture, including device parameters, optical layout, and switching
fabric topology.

• Analyze key optical system parameters including:

beam propagation and diffraction
polarization effects and birefringence
insertion loss and crosstalk
switching contrast ratio
optical alignment tolerances and stability

• Perform tolerance and sensitivity analysis to evaluate the impact of optical
alignment, mechanical stability, and thermal variation on switching performance.

• Use finite element analysis (FEA) tools (e.g., ANSYS, COMSOL) to model thermal
effects, mechanical deformation, and packaging influences that may impact
optical alignment or LC device behavior.

• Investigate AI-assisted digital twin modeling approaches, including machine
learning techniques to accelerate simulation, predict device/system performance,
and optimize switching architectures.

• Develop modeling and simulation frameworks using Python, MATLAB, or scientific
computing environments.

• Collaborate with optical, device, and system engineers to refine models and
validate simulation results against experimental measurements.

• Document research methodology and findings.

• Deliver a final technical report and presentation summarizing the digital twin
architecture, modeling framework, and design insights for next-generation
LC-based OCS systems.

Requirements

• Current PhD candidate in one of the following fields: Optical Engineering Photonics Electrical Engineering Applied Physics Materials Science (with electro-optic device focus)
• Open to currently enrolled PhD students or those who have graduated within one year of the internship start date.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently in a research-oriented environment.
• Strong analytical and quantitative problem-solving skills.
• Experience with optical design software such as Zemax OpticStudio or similar tools.
• Familiarity with free-space optical systems and polarization optics.
• Programming experience in Python, MATLAB, or C/C++ for simulation and modeling.

Nice To Haves

• Research experience in one or more of the following areas is preferred: Liquid crystal photonic devices Spatial light modulators (SLM) Free-space optical systems Optical switching architectures Electro-optic modulation Computational photonics or system modeling
• Experience with liquid crystal devices, electro-optic modulation, or spatial light modulators is highly desirable.
• Experience with finite element analysis (FEA) tools such as ANSYS or COMSOL.
• Exposure to machine learning or AI techniques for modeling or system optimization is a plus.
• Experience with multi-physics modeling or system simulation frameworks is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Develop a digital twin model for Liquid Crystal–based optical circuit switching architectures, including spatial light modulators, LC beam steering devices, and free-space optical relay systems.
• Model free-space optical propagation and system performance using optical design tools such as Zemax OpticStudio or equivalent ray-tracing platforms.
• Investigate polarization-diverse switching architectures to support polarization-insensitive operation and improve switching efficiency and scalability.
• Simulate electro-optic behavior of liquid crystal devices, including phase modulation, birefringence control, and beam steering mechanisms.
• Explore co-design methodologies that jointly optimize LC device physics and system architecture, including device parameters, optical layout, and switching fabric topology.
• Analyze key optical system parameters including: beam propagation and diffraction, polarization effects and birefringence, insertion loss and crosstalk, switching contrast ratio, optical alignment tolerances and stability
• Perform tolerance and sensitivity analysis to evaluate the impact of optical alignment, mechanical stability, and thermal variation on switching performance.
• Use finite element analysis (FEA) tools (e.g., ANSYS, COMSOL) to model thermal effects, mechanical deformation, and packaging influences that may impact optical alignment or LC device behavior.
• Investigate AI-assisted digital twin modeling approaches, including machine learning techniques to accelerate simulation, predict device/system performance, and optimize switching architectures.
• Develop modeling and simulation frameworks using Python, MATLAB, or scientific computing environments.
• Collaborate with optical, device, and system engineers to refine models and validate simulation results against experimental measurements.
• Document research methodology and findings.
• Deliver a final technical report and presentation summarizing the digital twin architecture, modeling framework, and design insights for next-generation LC-based OCS systems.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree