Ray Optics Simulation Devices Made for Aerospace and Defense Applications

To showcase this capability, COMSOL is adding a Sagnac Interferometer example model, complete with documentation and solution, to the Application Galleries. The new example provides simulation specialists with a working application of the Sagnac effect and will help those working with attitude detection to get a better understanding of the sensitivity and accuracy of such complex inertial navigation systems.

“We are very excited to share the Sagnac Interferometer model with the simulation community,” says Christopher Boucher, technical product manager, COMSOL, Inc. “Just specify the angular velocity, and then you can accurately trace rays through the interferometer as it rotates, even though the two phenomena happen over vastly different time scales.

Visualization of counterpropagating light rays in a counterclockwise rotating Sagnac interferometer. Image courtesy of COMSOL.

The movement in the example model is simple rotation, but the same capability could be applied to combinations of translation and rotation. Multiphysics models can also be built coupling ray tracing with structural deformation, including thermal stress.

The Application Galleries features hundreds of example models and apps to help simulation specialists get started using COMSOL Multiphysics.

For more info, visit COMSOL.

Sources: Press materials received from the company.