Zemax Launches Native Diffraction Calculation and Analysis Functionality

Zemax announced a new release of its flagship software, OpticStudio and OpticsBuilder. Zemax will deliver three product releases in 2021, the first in January (21.1) followed by May (21.2) and September (21.3) releases. OpticStudio 21.1 focuses on diffractive optics within the augmented reality and heads-up display markets. This release also adds new tolerance operands for users to align designs more easily to real-world assembly methods.

In addition, this release debuts two new feature experiments that improve wide-angle ray aiming for autonomous vehicles and provides a new optimization algorithm. OpticsBuilder 21.1 improves optomechanical assembly analysis by allowing users to add sources and detectors directly in CAD. 

“By providing native diffractive optics support within OpticStudio and improved design analysis within OpticsBuilder, our users can continue to push past current design constraints,” says Dr. S. Subbiah, chief executive officer of Zemax. 

OpticStudio: New Diffraction Calculation

In OpticStudio the company has added the Kogelnik diffraction efficiency calculation into the 21.1 product update. This provides a solution for modeling the role of diffractive optics within a simulation platform. 

OpticStudio: New Tolerance Setups Operands

In 2020, OpticStudio delivered new functionality focused on improving users' ability to design and manufacture optical products. OpticStudio 21.1 introduces new tolerancing operands. With the addition of ROLL tolerance setup operands and Radial Decenter operand, users can easily set up tolerancing to match real-world assembly methods. 

OpticsBuilder: New Analysis Functionality

OpticsBuilder 21.1 improves how users analyze optical systems. With this release, users are now able to include additional sources and detectors to their optomechanical design for further analysis within their CAD platform. Users may also view an incoherent irradiance report for an object as a detector for additional insights when building their optical products in CAD. This release also gives users access to the full Zemax glass catalog for more options when analyzing designs within their CAD platform.

OpticStudio: Feature Experiments

Users will also notice that OpticStudio 21.1 includes a couple new feature experiments. These include new wide-angle ray aiming capabilities and a new optimization algorithm for pseudo second derivatives. These feature experiments are a preview to some of the features planned for the next release in May.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.