Question

Modifying Coating Incident Media in Non-Sequential?

  • 4 April 2024
  • 1 reply
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Hello folks,

I’ve recently been modeling interferometric thin films in zemax, and have been unable to determine how to change the “Incident Media” of the coating analysis in Non-Sequential mode. I’ve used the Fabry-Perot.ZDA, using only the standard files for coatings/materials, as an example.

In sequential mode, its fairly straightforward-the material of the previous surface is taken as the incident media. However, if you convert the file to an NSC group, the incident media is assumed to be air, even if the two objects are touching*. My search through the help has given me little beyond the “reverse direction” checkbox, and even that merely swaps the substrate and incident media.

So how can you choose the incident media for this analysis when done in non-sequential mode?

*I would also note the conversion put the coating on the corresponding surfaces of the “surface 1-2” and “surfaces 1-3” objects, though I can easily correct this.


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Userlevel 4
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Hi William!

As you said, in non-sequential mode the default Incident Media is air, but you can change this using the "Inside Of" flag. So if you place object 4 inside of object 3 the coating on the front face of object 4 will have the right transmission/reflection since the incident media will change from air to bk7:

I hope it helps! 

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