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Trouble with generating Multipass Mirror Design


  • Ultraviolet
  • 36 replies

I am designing a multipass mirror configuration.

  1. unable to understand why I am unable to generate secondary reflections off M1 mirror. The first pass reflection seems to work on both M1 and M2.
  2. How does Zemax decide how thick the mirror surface should be? The two mirrors have different thickness as shown below. Typically the designer would use Draw option to allocate a certain “thickness” to such surfaces.
Zemax SEQ model
questions
M1 surface#3 Draw Properties

 

Best answer by David.Nguyen

@Asuku 

 

Regarding 1.

This is why it is called sequential mode. OpticStudio launches a ray, looks for the intercept with the next surface in the Lens Data Editor (LDE), apply a refraction/reflection to determine the new direction of the ray, then look for the next surface… etc. Once the ray has interacted with a surface, this surface is not considered anymore.

@Mike.Jones is right that this might be a case for non-sequential mode. Although, you could still remain in sequential mode if you split your mirror into multiple surfaces (screenshot below, archive attached). But it might be hard to setup correctly if you intend to change the mirrors orientation (you’ll need to have pick-ups and make sure all the surfaces remain aligned with each others, out of scope of this answer).

Regarding 2.

Excerpt from Help File:

I hope this helps and take care,

 

David

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3 replies

Mike.Jones
En-Lightened
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  • En-Lightened
  • 116 replies
  • June 24, 2025

This has to be done in non-sequential mode.


David.Nguyen
Luminary
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  • Luminary
  • 1134 replies
  • Answer
  • June 25, 2025

@Asuku 

 

Regarding 1.

This is why it is called sequential mode. OpticStudio launches a ray, looks for the intercept with the next surface in the Lens Data Editor (LDE), apply a refraction/reflection to determine the new direction of the ray, then look for the next surface… etc. Once the ray has interacted with a surface, this surface is not considered anymore.

@Mike.Jones is right that this might be a case for non-sequential mode. Although, you could still remain in sequential mode if you split your mirror into multiple surfaces (screenshot below, archive attached). But it might be hard to setup correctly if you intend to change the mirrors orientation (you’ll need to have pick-ups and make sure all the surfaces remain aligned with each others, out of scope of this answer).

Regarding 2.

Excerpt from Help File:

I hope this helps and take care,

 

David


  • Author
  • Ultraviolet
  • 36 replies
  • June 25, 2025

@David.Nguyen and ​@Mike.Jones Thank you for the ideas. Yes, it makes sense to model this in NSC.


Cheers!


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