Support zemax optical designer workflows with clear steps and best practices.
Instruction
- Define the optical system parameters by specifying the entrance pupil diameter, fields of view, and target wavelengths.
- Configure the Lens Data Editor by setting up surface types (e.g., Standard, Aspheric, Diffractive) and selecting appropriate materials from glass catalogs.
- Construct a robust Merit Function using operands to define optimization targets such as spot size, MTF, or wavefront error.
- Execute optimization routines (Local or Global) to find the best design configuration while respecting physical constraints like thickness and weight.
- Perform comprehensive tolerance analysis to evaluate the sensitivity of the design to manufacturing and assembly errors.
- Utilize diagnostic tools such as Ray Fan plots and Aberration coefficients to identify and correct specific image defects.
When to Use
- When designing or optimizing precision optical systems including lenses, telescopes, and imaging sensors.
- When conducting feasibility studies or tolerance analysis for optical manufacturing projects.