Welcome
Welcome to Zemax's September edition of our monthly Community update summary. In this newsletter you will find:
- Featured Community posts, based on what you, the user, are searching for. So let us know what you want to learn more about!
- A list of Knowledgebase articles which are new or have been significantly updated in the last month.
- Mini interviews with our highlighted users. Each month you'll be introduced to some of these power users, so keep an eye out for them on the community!
If you want to see something added to this list, reply in the comments below. This is your space, so help us to make it useful to you!
Featured Community posts
Our Physical Optics Propagation tool is one of our most powerful offerings - and also one of the most challenging tools to set up. While we provide several Knowledgebase articles to help you understand how to use this analysis, it can be useful to discuss your specific needs in the Community. To get started, check out some of these discussions on POP below:
- Retrieving pop beam via ZOS_API Python & Possible to set Settings for "PhysicalOpticsPropagation" window via Matlab API? - The ZOS-API can be utilized to run POP at a much higher rate of sampling than in the GUI. Find out how to set up POP in the API with these posts.
- Can I simulate a specific Gaussian beam in POP if I know the M2 value? - Zemax’s
@Allie and@Sandrine Auriol provide a method to get your laser’s M2 value modelled in POP. - Rounded tip axicon modelling - Learn more about how you can model axicons with POP!
- Show POP results on shaded model - In Non-Sequential Mode, we can observe the detector results on the Shaded Model to help in understanding the path of the rays. Did you know you can do the same with POP in Sequential Mode?
@yuan.chen shows us how in this forum post.
Also, with the release of 21.3, we’ve seen a few questions from the Community on the latest updates. See below some of the most-recently answered questions on this topic!
- Advantages of the new nonsequential Off-Axis Mirror object - Zemax’s
@Erin.Elliott has provided some guidance on the usefulness of the new Off-Axis Mirror Object. This object will be especially useful for users of OpticsBuilder. Read more at the link! - "Convert to Project Directory" new feature: two issues - In 21.3, Project Directories were introduced. These will help users keep their work distinct (plus they provide the added benefit of making sure your Coating.DAT file is no longer overwritten when opening a file). This change to form may be confusing, but Zemax’s
@Alissa Wilczynski has you covered in this forum post. -
Off-axis mirror - new surface type -
@Maciej.Traczyk and@Sandrine Auriol shed some light on the Off-Axis Mirror object in this forum post.
Knowledgebase Updates
Each month, we will let you know about new articles, or other updates to the Knowledgebase. Below you will find the link to the article, as well as the abstract.
Modelling of a Shack-Hartmann Sensor for eye aberration evaluation
Shack-Hartmann (SH) sensors are wavefront sensors. This article will look at the design of such a sensor to measure aberrations from the eye. Tools like the wavefront map and Physical Optics Propagation are used to analyze the results.
OpticStudio STAR Module: Ansys Data Export Extension
This article describes how to export FEA results from Ansys Mechanical using a custom extension from Zemax. The extension (available for download at request) helps streamline the export process with each FEA data properly named and formatted for immediate import into OpticStudio via the STAR Module. The extension makes it easy to keep track of the FEA datasets and which surface they should be assigned to in your optical design. The extension will work with both structural and thermal datasets.
How to share an OpticStudio file
Sharing design files is an integral part of the optical product design workflow. This article describes the recommended steps to ensure that, when sharing OpticStudio files, all the necessary information is properly packaged for delivery. This includes instructions on how to use the Zemax Archive File and Project Directory structure (available in OpticStudio 21.3).
Using Project Directories to organize OpticStudio
Introduced in OpticStudio and OpticsViewer 21.3, the Project Directory system enables easy packaging and storage of important Zemax files so that they can be easily accessed an manipulated on a project-by-project basis. Project Directories can help prevent overwriting data stored in common files accessed by multiple OpticStudio design files.
Zemax-er Spotlight
We are highlighting active members of our Zemax family! These users are selected based on their activity in the Community, on the Knowledgebase, or within other Zemax events. Do you have a nomination for this spotlight? Let us know in the comments!
Pascale is a member of Zemax’s Consultant Partner Program and brings 20 years of industry knowledge to the Community. Most recently, Pascale has used her knowledge of optics (particularly biophotonics) and OpticStudio to contribute a new Knowledgebase article on modelling a Shack-Harmann Sensor (linked above). Read on to find out more about Pascale:
Tell us about yourself?
"I am working as a freelance engineer since 2011 either on site or remotely from my own lab located in the Grenoble area ( near Lyon ) France, using Zemax and Matlab licenses.
With an experience of more than 20 years in optics, photonics and signal processing, I am now proposing services for companies and research centers having specific R&D needs in these fields. I am covering a wide range of applications such as lightning, spectral imaging, XR, biomedical optics, wavefront sensing, OCT, interferometry, microscopy, industrial vision.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch and share with me your expectation, for an advice or a partnership proposal. I will consider your demand with whole required care and confidentiality. "
What in the industry are you excited about?
During my professional experience, I had the chance to work on several projects in the medical and biomedical field. This is a very demanding field with many challenges, including the one to truly understand the expectations and the needs that are not always clearly expressed. This is usually a long and fascinated way to build such projects with very rewarding feedbacks when it works! With AI, XR and more sophisticated robotics, medical field remains a very fascinating field.
If you could offer one piece of advice to someone using OpticStudio, what would it be?
Be aware that you are belonging to a wonderful community with many ways of exchange and support.
