The objective of the proposed research is to improve the functionality and viability of photonic devices for integrated systems by developing and experimentally demonstrating new inverse design techniques and methodologies. The new methodologies include the contour constraint in topology optimization combined with seeded topology optimization with the goal of simplifying structures to improve performance and agreement between simulation and experimental data while decreasing area consumption and fabrication variability. Seeded topology optimization is used to smooth rough features of a device and decrease fabrication variability, but also to efficiently convert devices of a particular wavelength band or stackup to others while maintaining high performance without violating foundry design rules. The contour constraint eliminates apparently nonfunctional features in a device topology, allowing the optimizer to find superior optimums. By utilizing these different techniques, high density integrated photonic systems and architectures are made possible and viable to enhance signal capacity and decrease size, weight, power, and cost metrics. Plans to explore these methodologies are discussed by applying them in the optimization of devices and to use said devices in commercial integrated optical systems, such as optical correlators, as well as related topics.