I have a non-sequential optical system consists of several lenses and mirrors. The incoming laser beam passes through them and then I use a rectangular detector to collect info about the outcoming beam. I am interested in knowing whether I lose any intensity if the divergence of the incoming beam increases. Is there a way in Zemax to find out the lost intensity?  Thanks in advance and best regards,Maryam

I have setup a simple experiment in non-sequential mode to test the effect of beam divergence on focal position. The lens file I am using is from the Thorlabs website (f=250 mm, VIS achromat). I set the divergence value (or collimation) using a Gaussian Source with the appropriate beam size and position (P) values, and then scan a detector rectangle along the optical axis measuring the beam waist a various locations. Contrary to my knowledge of  geometric optics, the focal position shifts closer to the focusing lens with increasing beam divergence; I am using divergence angles of 0.04-0.08 mrads (half angle). Interestingly, when I set the Position value to give a converging beam, the focal position shifts away from the focusing lens. I’m concerned that there is something that I have missed when constructing this model, and was wondering if anyone could help? I have uploaded my Zemax file for convenience. Many thanks, Chris. 

Hello, I'm using the following knowledge base article to convert a lens design file (sequential) into it's non-sequential alternative: https://customers.zemax.com/os/resources/learn/knowledgebase/how-to-convert-sequential-surfaces-to-non-sequenti Does it also work on black box models? Thank you in advance!  

Has anyone developed a script that can takes an implemented blackbox coating performance vs. angle and vs. wavelength and build a custom coating table (Help File » The Libraries Tab » Coatings Group » Defining Coatings » The TABLE Data Section) ?Thanks in advance for any pointers.

Hello,Could someone please show how to setup in Non-Sequential Mode a Detector and export the angle of incidence for all the light rays hitting the detector?The goal for me is to import this distribution in matlab for plotting angle of incidence distribution/histogram and additional convolution with other curves to understand the properties of the light source as well as how it interacts with the detector.

Hi! I am new to Zemax Optic Studio and am struggling to set up a system with a source, diffraction grating, and detector. I have been following this video as a guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtjN7wr_Pl8&ab_channel=OzenEngineering%2CInc.  I get the same results until close to the end of the video-- they change the wavelength and suddenly the diffraction pattern appears. As far as I can tell, I am using the same values in the non sequential component editor but cannot get the same results. I must be missing something, any help would be really appreciated! I’ve got the link for the .zar file I’m working with here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11rnClZi5eTzIQc3PFDJTwQYhQvJ6gR08/view?usp=drive_link

We have a mobile lens design file designed by zemax.The type of Fields in this design file is currently "angle", and if I attempt to replace it with "real image height", the following warning message appears:"Cannot find rays to yield requested image height"How can I change the field type to real image height while resolving these warning messages?

In non-sequential mode, when a ray intercepts a detector, can you confirm that the angle of incidence is not taken into account when computnig the irradiance ? For example for for 2 rays with the same power incident on the same pixel, but with different angle of incidence -one normal and one at 45°, is there a cosine weight assigned to the power of the oblique ray ?I tried to check for myself by setting up a single pixel detector with 2 source rays of 1W each. WIth normal incidence the total power is 2W, and still with one of them being incident with a 45° angle - so I’d guess angle of incidence are not taken into account, but I’d rather have confirmation from Zemax team -or even better written explicitely in t he docs (maybe I did not find it)

I am trying to run a GridDistorsion analysis using the ZOS API but it seems the analysis has no results whatsoever : Using : distorsion_grid_analysis = system.Analyses.New_GridDistortion()distorsion_grid_settings = distorsion_grid_analysis.GetSettings()distorsion_grid_settings = zosapi.Analysis.Settings.Aberrations.IAS_GridDistortion(distorsion_grid_settings)# set the settings here ...distorsion_grid_analysis.ApplyAndWaitForCompletion()analysis_results = distorsion_grid_analysis.GetResults()print(analysis_results.NumberOfDataGrids)print(analysis_results.NumberOfDataGridsRgb)print(analysis_results.NumberOfDataScatterPoints)print(analysis_results.NumberOfDataScatterPointsRgb)print(analysis_results.NumberOfDataSeries)print(analysis_results.NumberOfDataSeriesRgb)print(analysis_results.NumberOfMessages)print(analysis_results.NumberOfRayData) I get only zeros so it seems the results object exposes nothing, I would expect at least DataSeries to acces the data from the “Text” results interface

From reading this interesting discussion below.I went down a rabbit hole when I was figuring out where the object principal plane of a thick plano-convex lens is. I’ve been taught to find the principal planes like its described at RP Photonics, that is:extrapolate the ingoing and outgoing rays such that they meet in a planeHowever, when rays parallel to the optical axis enter through the plane face of the lens, the ingoing and outgoing rays will meet exactly along the convex face, which is not a plane.Therefore, I believe the principal plane is defined as the plane coincident with the convex surface vertex. At least, this is what I’ve taken away when I used OpticStudio (surface 1 is the convex surface).I also found this information here:Plano-convex and plano-concave lenses have one principal plane that intersects the optical axis, at the edge of the curved surface, and the other plane buried inside the glass.I can accept this definition, but I was curious, from a teaching perspective,

Hello,For a silicon photodiode detector, there’s a given Directivity plot that describes the amplitude change in amount of light that the detector sees at a specific angle relative to the normal axis.I would like to know how to apply this Directivity for a Detector Rectangle object in Non-Sequential Component mode. The results of the simulation are meant to show how much light the photodiode fails to detect due to non-collimated light.I’ve attached ZAR of a simple source gaussian non-collimated light onto a detector rectangle. 

I am running Ansys ZEMAX Optic Studio 2024 R1.00 (Premium). I am using a graphics card GEForce RTX3060 and W11.I am using tolerance analysis on a simple sequential optical system with two doublet lenses. The first time I tried tolerencing (my first time using this feature) the option to overlay the Monte Carlo graphics on already open windows, such as encircled energy, appeared to work. Subsequent runs, including after exiting and restarting do not provide overlays, although the tolerence analysis, including histograms, appears to be working properly.Any ideas? 

Can you confirm that when computing the Fft Mtf with “All” wavelenghts, the resulting MTF is the weighted average of all individual monochromatic MTF ?The doc only mentions “Wavelength The wavelength number to be used in the calculation.”, but does not explicitely states what happens if “All” is selected 

How to model laser beam having divergence 3 and 5 degrees in x and y axes respectively and how to introduce power of 1mw in sequential mode. How to define power using physical Optics?

Hello,I have made a system with two off-axis parabolas (in fact acting as a single parabola) and find that the input field semi diameter is different from the output field semi-diameter, although the spot diagram (with a paraxial lens) states that the image is perfect. Looking at the 3-D model and making an overlay of two images that are flipped alonng the z-axis, I notice that the rays on either side of the focus of the OAP do not seem to have the same angle, which indeed then would lead to a different semi-diameter. Anything to fix this? I have added a screenshot of the focal region of the off-axis parabola, with two identical images shown, but one transparant and flipped. I would have expected to have these images be symmetric to the mirroring.  

I am trying to create a pair of 90-degree off-axis parabolic mirrors, oriented with the focus between them:Sketch As others have suggested, and taking inspiration from this post—Off Axis Parabolic mirror collimation | Zemax Community—I create entire parabolas and then aperture down to only the off-axis sections. However, I’m struggling to get the correct geometry. This is the layout (with apertures)Zemax attempt (w/ apertures)and without the apertures: I would like the rays to reach the second parabola and be reflected towards the image. Any obvious mistake with the geometry?

Hi everyone, I'm having difficulty understanding how I can reproduce the emission spectrum by providing only xy CIE1931.I would like to compile an Excel file or an Octave routine that simulates this calculation.Sometimes white LED suppliers do not provide SPDs but only CIE1931 coordinates.Thanks so much everyone.

Hello everyone,I am in the process of creating a human eye model in OpticStudio, and I am looking to incorporate the Stiles-Crawford effect as described by the attached equation:I = 10^(- (α/2) * r²)where:I is the beam intensity, α = 0.05, r represents the radial distance from the pupil center.To give more context, the Stiles-Crawford effect describes how light entering the eye near the center of the pupil is perceived as brighter than light entering near the edges, due to the directional sensitivity of cone photoreceptors in the retina.What would be the most straightforward method for implementing this effect into my optical model?  Thank you in advance for your help!

Hello,  New user and first post here. I am trying to collimate a beam coming from a fiber with 0,26 NA, 4,5 nm and apodization of 1.0 in order to have a 6 mm diameter beam along the maximum possible distance (desired between 2-3 meters). I did it using lenses but now I want to try with an OAP from Thorlabs. This is the model used:  For achieving my goal I think I have to inverse the mirror so the image shown in the picture acts like my source, but I have tried with coordinate breaks and I can not manage to do it. Once I have done it I have to optimize the position of my source using those operands in order to achieve the desired width of the beam right? Thanks for your help

Hi, I have a two element design and I am a struggling with understanding how the airgap errors are handled and input in the tolerance data editor (TDE). Below are what I see the airgap errors to be: 1. Distance tolerance between lens 1 and lens 2 barrel seatsIn TDE2. Thickness tolerance between lens 1 surface 2 vertex and the flat mounting interface (sag of R2)Set up dummy surface?3. Thickness tolerance between lens 2 surface 1 vertex and the flat mounting interface (sag of R1)Set up dummy surface?4. Center thickness of lens 2In TDE5. Center thickness of lens 1In TDEFor example, my concern is that if I input TTHI CT error for L1 of 0.050 and flat edge to vertex error of .025 Zemax will try to take the cumulative of this, .050 + .025 = .075. Below I show in 1.2 this would not occur as the CT would be out of spec. 

Hello there friends from the Zemax community,I have an optical system which I converted into a non-sequential system.I am trying to estimate the focal plane field distribution from a source file in which essentially I am trying to model a point source that has a non uniform intensity pattern.First, I have checked that for an ideal Point Source in the non-sequential mode, I can compute the “PSF” by using the Hyugens integral based approach by setting the PSF Wave # parameter to a value of 1.Here you can see an example of what I get in this case:  As mentioned, for the ideal point source I can get the focal field distribution. From the Ray Database Viewer, you can clearly see how the rays are being terminated at the object number 5 (my detector with the material set as ABSORB) However, once I replace the Point source with a Source file which also is supposed to model the case of a point source but with a lmn dependent and varying intensity value (For this, I used a source file in where t

For a given system, with field type defined as “Real Image height”, the relative illumination at say Y=2mm is say 0.95For the same system, with field type defined as “Paraxial Image Height”, the relative illumination at still Y=2mm is now 0.92.Since the Y coordinates of the relative illumination curve are given in mm in the image plane, I would expect the relative illumanition value at a given height is independant of the field type selected.What am I missing ? 

Hi everyone,I’m working on an illumination design project in OpticsStudio and have a question about optimization goals.For an imaging lens, the optimization goal is often clear, like minimizing the spot size. But for illumination systems, e.g, Köhler illumination, I’m not sure what the primary optimization target should be in sequential mode.Also, I noticed that some designers do the design in a reverese way, with the LED surface placed as the last surface and that surface is not an image surface, just a standard one.Assume that my design is Köhler illumination and includes: (see the figure)Three lenses One field stop One aperture stop   what should I set as the optimization criteria in sequential mode?If anyone could provide some hints with suitable optimization functions for sequential mode, I would greatly appreciate it.Thank you in advance for your help!

Hello there, I have an optical system of 9 lenses focusing collected light from a telescope onto an image plane. The line on the far left of the design is the focal plane from the light collected from the telescope. This imager will double as a spectrograph when a prism/grating is added into the collimated beam. Because of this, I need to know where to place the STOP in this design.Original design:   I understand the STOP position will be located where the image of the secondary mirror is formed. Attempt 1 to find STOP position: In my attempt, I set the OBJECT to be the secondary mirror which is 3913mm before the focal plane. (Should this have infinite thickness?) The height of the secondary mirror source is set to be 118mm by adjusting the field lines. I then set the STOP surface to be where the focal plane is. (Should I set the secondary mirror to be the STOP position since that is where the light is originally focused?) Finally the aperture is set to a value so the rays reaches top

In a Spot diagram plot, one can the see the position of the rays OR their direction - but how can we associate which position goes with which direction ?In other words, given the 2 following plots (spot diagram and spot diagram with cosine directions), how can we map a ray position to its direction :