About
21 January 2021
Zemax launches native diffraction calculation and new analysis functionality
OpticStudio 21.1 delivers a new diffraction calculation and two new tolerance setup operands. OpticsBuilder 21.1 improves analysis functionality and includes full Zemax glass catalog.
KIRKLAND, WASHINGTON— Zemax announced the latest release of their flagship software, OpticStudio®, and OpticsBuilder™. Continuing our commitment to deliver regular updates to our customers, 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 starts the year by empowering the growing role of 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 provide a new optimization algorithm. OpticsBuilder 21.1 improves optomechanical assembly analysis by allowing users to add sources and detectors directly in CAD.
“I am delighted to start the new year by providing new functionality to our Zemax community,” said Dr. S. Subbiah, Chief Executive Officer of Zemax. “Our customers continue to innovate by pushing the boundaries of traditional optical design. By providing native diffractive optics support within OpticStudio and improved design analysis within OpticsBuilder, our users can continue to push past current design constraints. This release is the start to many exciting announcements coming in 2021.”
OpticStudio: New Diffraction Calculation
Diffractive optics are playing an increasingly important role in the innovations taking place within the optics and photonics industry. OpticStudio users are leading this innovation. In support of their work, we have added the Kogelnik diffraction efficiency calculation into the 21.1 product update. This provides one of the most comprehensive solutions for modeling the role of diffractive optics within a simulation platform. We are excited to see how the Zemax community continues to pioneer the role of diffractive optics within the augmented reality and heads-up display markets.
OpticStudio: New Tolerance Setups Operands
In 2020, OpticStudio delivered new functionality focused on improving our users’ ability to design and manufacture optical products. OpticStudio 21.1 continues this theme by introducing new tolerancing operands. With the addition of our ROLL tolerance setup operands and our Radial Decenter operand, users can easily setup 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 our next release in May. We encourage users to try out these features and share their feedback with us.
About Zemax
Zemax’s industry-leading optical product design and simulation software, OpticStudio®, OpticsBuilder™, and OpticsViewer™, helps optical, mechanical, and manufacturing engineering teams turn their ideas into reality. Standardizing on Zemax software reduces design iterations and repeated prototypes, speeding time to market and reducing development costs. Zemax is headquartered in the Kirkland, Washington and has offices in the UK, Japan, Taiwan, and China. For more information: www.Zemax.com
About OIDA
OSA Industry Development Associates (OIDA), operated as a division of The Optical Society (OSA), serves and represents organizations engaged in the business of optics and photonics—from start-ups to Fortune 500s. In support of its member companies, OIDA promotes and protects the business of optics and photonics in driving innovation, creating jobs, and accelerating growth in the U.S. and around the world. OIDA provides exclusive roadmap reports and market data for the industry, serves as the voice of the industry to government and academia, acts as a liaison with several trade associations worldwide and provides a network for the exchange of ideas and information within the optics and photonics community.
Matthew Sutton
Director of Product, Zemax
