Hi @anlafuen,

This sounds like an interesting project! In general, it is a good strategy to first model the system in Sequential Mode since there are quite a number of analysis tools available. Then, as you need to consider more complex sources, detectors, scatterers, stray light, etc., you can port your design to Non-Sequential Mode and make further modifications as necessary.

Regarding the specifics for simulating the Cherenkov Telescope, you might find this journal reference helpful since it uses Zemax in its analysis: Simulating the optical performance of a small-sized telescope with secondary optics for the Cherenkov Telescope Array - ScienceDirect.

For your question about optimization given that the system forms a ring: it really depends on what you intend to optimize. Are you wanting a ring of a certain radius, or are you looking to minimize certain aberrations in your system? These are just a couple examples; for a complex system like this one, there are many specifications that you likely need to consider in developing a refined design.

As you start to navigate your design through OpticStudio, please let us know if you have any specific questions.

Best,
Ethan

Hi Ethan!

Thanks a lot for your reply and the pointer. It is indeed a very interesting article with many commonalities to our problem. While I re-read it more in detail I’d like to take advantage and ask two specific questions in hope that you may be able to help with them:

1. How would you model a source that, like in our case, generates light at a given angle all along the axis of the detector (in the image above you can say two of the rays being generated)
2. Regarding the optimization point I would be merely interested in the equivalent of the point spread function but for a ring. Do you see a way of retrieving this information from Zemax or, else, setting up the problem in a way this information could be retrieved?  

Again, thanks for your input

Regards

Antonio