This article guides you on installing Ansys Lumerical and provides external references in case you face troubles during the installation process.

Please note Ansys Lumerical cannot be run on Apple computers. Apple users will need to run it through:

• The Southampton Virtual Environment (SVE)
  or
• A Common Learning Space (CLS) workstation

Overview of Lumerical

Ansys Lumerical is a suite of tools for photonic and optoelectronic simulation, design, and optimisation.

An extract from the Ansys website:

Ansys Lumerical provides engineers with a complete photonics simulation software solution, enabling the design of photonics components, circuits, and systems.

Component and system-level tools seamlessly work together so designers can model interacting optical, electrical, quantum, and thermal effects. Flexible interoperability between products enables a variety of workflows that combine device multiphysics and photonic circuit simulation with third-party design automation and productivity tools.

Python-based automation and flows for building and using compact models support the industry’s leading foundries.

---

Back to the top

 

Download and install the software

Before starting

If you are off campus, you will need to have Global Protect VPN installed and running on your machine. This will allow you to see a software license manager for Lumerical that is hosted by the University of Southampton.

If you need guidance about installing GlobalProtect, read the article "How to set up the Virtual Private Network (VPN) via GlobalProtect".

Instructions for Windows users

1. Go to the the University of Southampton Software Download Service and open the page about Ansys Lumerical

2. Select the version available for Windows

3. Download the file Lumerical_2023R2.03_WINX64.zip below and extract the contents to your PC.

4. Run the file Lumerical_Suite\Lumerical_Installer.exe

5. Accept all the default settings requested during the installation process

6. When the software is run for the first time, you will be prompted that you cannot connect to an Ansys License Server. Select Yes to open the Configure License Window

7. Select Configure Triad Server configuration / redundant servers
8. Set the License Servers to:

• AnsysLM1.soton.ac.uk Port 10550 (To change each port click Specify and enter the port number in the box)
• AnsysLM2.soton.ac.uk Port 10550
• AnsysLM3.soton.ac.uk Port 10550

 

Instructions for Linux users

1. Go to the from the University of Southampton Software Download Service and open the page about Ansys Lumerical

2. Select the version available for Windows

3. Download the file Lumerical_2023R2.03_WINX64.tar.gz below and extract the contents

4. Open a terminal

5. Change the directory into the unpacked folder

6. Run the install.sh as root and follow the instructions

7. Accept all the default settings requested during the installation process

8. When the software is run for the first time, you will be prompted that you cannot connect to an Ansys License Server. Select Yes to open the Configure License Window

9. Select Configure Triad Server configuration / redundant servers

10. Set the License Servers to:

• AnsysLM1.soton.ac.uk Port 10550 (To change each port click Specify and enter the port number in the box)
• AnsysLM2.soton.ac.uk Port 10550
• AnsysLM3.soton.ac.uk Port 10550

---

Back to the top

 

Troubleshooting

The following error message might appear along the installation process or when you are running a simulation:

• Components Ansys Optics Launcher has failed to install with the message "Fatal error during installations"
• Components were not installed
• Components failed to install

This happens frequently if you have already installed Visual Studio Code on your computer or, for example, if you do not have a Message Passing Interface (MPI) protocol installed on your machine.

To fix the issue, follow the Ansys knowledge base article "Fixing common engine or run time errors".

---

Back to the top

 

Related content

How to access Southampton Virtual Environment (SVE) and Common Learning Spaces (CLS) workrooms from remote

Common Learning Spaces (CLS) workstation rooms

How to download software