Hi Xiaowei,

I’m not totally certain without seeing your file, but one thing is for sure: don’t give the Non-Sequential Component (in the Lens Data Editor) a material, like BK7, unless you know what this means. Because this is the material of the surrounding medium in the Non-Sequential Component. By putting BK7, you told OpticStudio that your BK7 lens was in a BK7 medium.

This is an excerpt from the Help File (The Setup Tab > Editors Group (Setup Tab) > Non-sequential Component Editor > Non-sequential Overview > NSC ray tracing in mixed mode (with entry and exit ports)):

The glass column of the Non-sequential Component surface is also used to define the "background" material and index of refraction of the media in which NSC objects are placed. 

I hope this gives you an element of response.

Take care,

David

Hi David,

Thank you very much for your response. That is a piece of very useful information. I tried to remove the material definition in the non-sequential data editor and the ray-tracing changed a little bit.

However, the lens (imported as a STEP file) is still not functioning. I am wondering if the surfaces of the lens in the STEP file are not complete so the simulation does not see the lens as a functioning refractive component?

I tried to attach my zemax files here but got the warning that they are not supported. So I uploaded them here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ag-xHhnsgjUfkMNCDZSiGKJQ8MhhnZkh?usp=sharing 

Best,

Xiaowei

Hi Xiaowei,

I looked over the STEP file you shared and saw no issue with that. Unfortunately the OpticStudio file you shared is ZDA file which cannot be opened without ZOS file. Since you have a CAD object in your system you may need to share an Archive (ZAR file) to be opened. 

Long story short, the main issue with mixed modes is to properly define the entry and exit port. In the mixed mode, the Non-sequential Component surface is the entry port whose location is determined by the previous surfaces in the Lens Data Editor. No objects should be placed as to touch or surround the entrance port. The exit port position is the same as the surface following the Non-sequential Component surface, and its location in 3D space is determined by the parameters of the Non-sequential Component surface. I would recommend to double check the ports of the NSC group in your file. If you set “Draw ports?” to 3 you will be able to see the both ports in your 3D layout. 

This knowledgebase article describes how to setup a mixed mode that you might find of help: How to model a mixed sequential/non-sequential system – Knowledgebase (zemax.com)

I hope this helps.

Best regards,

Moj