
What's New in LensForge
Version 1.3.1 of LensForge introduced the following features:
Acceptance calculations |
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How much light is accepted by a fiber optic as a function of its NA? |
Gaussian beams |
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Gaussian beams for laser system analysis. |
Version 1.2.19 of LensForge introduced the light pipe.
Light pipe |
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The light pipe is an object that represents a straight or tapered reflective pipe of polygonal cross section. |
Version 1.2.2 of LensForge introduced the intensity fan.
Intensity fan |
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The intensity fan lets you examine the light intensity at various surfaces of the lens. |
Version 1.2.0 of LensForge introduced the ray trace meritoid.
Ray trace meritoid |
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The ray trace meritoid allows you to trace an arbitrary ray through the lens and use its final position or momentum in your merit functions. |
Version 1.1.25 of LensForge introduced the energy capture plot.
Energy capture |
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The energy capture plot (presently only for finite conjugate systems) lets you see how much light emitted by points on the object is actually captured by the lens. |
Version 1.1.23 of LensForge introduces diffractive and asymmetric surface types, as well as other improvements.
Kinfoform surface |
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LensForge now supports diffractive surfaces. The first surface we have implemented is the axially symmetric kinoform. |
Diffraction grating |
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LensForge now supports diffraction gratings. |
Biconic surface |
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LensForge now has the asymmetric biconic surface. This can be used to model cylindrical surfaces. |
Toric surfaces |
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LensForge now has asymmetric toric surfaces. These can be used to model cylindrical or acylindrical lenses. |
Polychromatic meritoids |
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The OPD and RMS spot size meritoids are now polychromatic. You can also specify a particular wavelength for monochromatic analysis. (Previously these meritoids were monochromatic at the system primary wavelength). |
Version 1.1.22 of LensForge introduced the following features:
Glass solve popup |
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The surface data editor now has a glass solve popup menu right in the data table |
Version 1.1.21 of LensForge introduced the following features:
Glass solve popup |
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The surface data editor now has a glass solve popup menu right in the data table |
Version 1.1.20 of LensForge introduced the following features:
Trace listing tool |
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The trace window lets you follow a ray through the lens. |
Version 1.1.18 of LensForge introduced the following features:
Huygens and Fourier PSF window |
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Huygens PSF window lets you view and export the PSF image and associated data. |
DXF export |
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The solid view now lets you export surfaces and rays in DXF format. Color information is included. |
Version 1.1.17 of LensForge introduced the following features:
Huygens calculator |
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Huygens calculator to find diffraction spot, line-spread function, and MTF for systems when diffraction is important. |
Diffraction MTF by FFT |
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LensForge can calculate the diffraction modulation transfer function (MTF) and optical transfer function (OTF) using the FFT method. |
Version 1.1.10 of LensForge introduced the following features:
Spot diagram generalized |
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On the Spot diagram the abscissa and ordinate can be position (x, y), tangent (ux, uy), momentum (px, py), or focal-length scaled position (x/f, y/f). Any surface may be selected. |
Uniform spiral |
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The spiral pattern for ray aiming has been upgraded to an equal-area form. This makes it useful in the encircled or ensquared energy plots. |
New toolbar buttons |
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Back and Forward buttons allow you to undo and redo viewpoint changes. Useful when you accidentally zoom! Sources button takes you to the Sources window (Fields, Pupil, Waves). |
Better solid view shapes |
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Solid view surfaces are cut out to indicate apertures. |
Version 1.1.6 of LensForge introduces the following features:
Glass creation |
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Define new glasses. Modify old ones. |
CODE V import |
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Read CODE V SEQ files. |
Multiplot feature |
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Don't like a lot of curves on one graph? Separate the fields using the multiplot feature! |
Version 1.1.5 of LensForge introduced the following features:
Polynomial surface |
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New asymmetric surface. |
Parameter import and export |
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A general mechanism for import and export of surface parameters is introduced. This is especially useful for surfaces with a large number of parameters, such as the aspherical surface and polynomial surface. |
Image preview for ZMF browser |
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The built-in lens catalog browser, for lens catalogs in ZMF format, now shows a picture of the selected lens. |
Test ray improvements |
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The test ray is now available on planar and solid views, and additional data is calculated, such as the ray coordinate frame and transfer matrix. |
Solid view improvements |
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The "Solid" view for display of non-symmetric systems has a number of improvements:
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Version 1.1.4 of LensForge introduced the following features:
Vignetting factors |
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To allow the vignetting to be simulated without apertures, LensForge can use so-called vignetting factors. |
Tranpose axes in graphs |
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Most graphs now can have their x and y axes interchanged to suit your preference. |
Export graph data |
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Most graphs now let you copy curve data to the pasteboard. |
The major release version 1.1 of LensForge improves the interactivity of the program and introduces merit functions and optimization.
Move elements interactively |
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In addition to the existing sliders feature, we have begun to implement the ability to interact with lens elements on the Planar view. |
Create merit functions |
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LensForge now lets you create a merit functions to quantify the performance of your lens. The merit functions can include such properties as focal length, Seidel aberrations, and spot size. |
Explore merit functions |
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Make plots of merit function values as a function of any construction parameter. |
Optimize your lens |
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Using any of your defined merit functions, LensForge can vary construction parameters such as surface curvatures and lens thicknesses to improve the performance of your lens. |