The purpose of this site is to provide a comprehensive list of links related to optics and optical simulation in general. Topics include optical design, optical engineering, illumination, Laser, optical materials, thin film coatings, and many more subjects needed to build and analyze complex optical systems.
Get a free 1 week trial or online demo of Photopia, the optical design and raytracing software with a full color multithreaded raytracer which runs standalone or as an add-in for SOLIDWORKS.
Optical design and manufacturability eguides. Increase your optics software knowledge with our design software guides. When you are looking to learn more about designing for manufacturing or optics best practices, our eGuides touch on a large span of tools and highlight the. Free version of the WinLens3D optical design package, which provides serious design and analysis tools for optical engineer, student or designer. WinLens3D Basic also offers zoom friendly graphics, multiple copies of graphs/tables, audit trail facilities, and sliders for hand optimisation plus an autofocus option.
The links are ordered alphabetically by product for each category and do not indicate ranking. We hope you find this list both informative and useful. Please e-mail suggestions and corrections to . See also our legal notice and our web policy.
| Lens Design Software | Testing | Organizations |
| Thin Film Design Software | Illumination, Straylight | Standards |
| Laser Design and Integrated Optics Software | Manufacturing | Periodicals |
| Glass Manufacturers, Optical Materials | Engineering | Optical Cements and Adhesives |
| Other useful links |
Lens Design Software:
| ABCD | Gaussian beam propagation software. |
| Aberrator | Software for simulation of star-test images. |
| ADOS | Optical design, analysis and optimization program. Also offers global optimization. |
| ASAP | System analysis program from Breault Research Organization, Inc. for imaging and illumination applications. |
| ATMOS | Amateur Telescope Maker Optical Software |
| Beam II, III, IV | Raytracing Software from Stellar Software. Available in three levels for Windows PC and Power Mac. |
| Code V | Comprehensive optical design software by 'Synopsis' |
| Comsol Multiphysics | COMSOL MultiphysicsTM: Comprehensive multiphysics simulation software for simulation and analysis of a wide range of physics phenomena, including ray optics and wave optics. Optics simulation is easily coupled with other physics, such as heat transfer and structural mechanics, in a Structural-Thermal- Optical-Performance (STOP) analysis. |
| dbOptic | Optical design database software |
| GSOLVER | Analysis of diffraction gratings of arbitrary groove profiles. |
| KDP-2 | Free optical design program from Jim Klein. |
| Lens Forge | Lens Design Program for Mac OS X |
| LensVIEW | A CD-ROM database with more than 30000 design examples from US patent literature and Japanese patent literature. |
| LensLab | Entry-Level Ray-Tracing Package for Mathematica |
| Lightmachinery | Some handy optical calculations, require the use of Microsoft Internet Explorer. |
| LightTools | Virtual prototyping of optical and illumination systems by 'Optical Research Associates' |
| Looking Glass | A geometric optics construction set. Interactive physics package that helps students visualize and understand the effects of optical components on light rays. |
| MODAS | 'Modern Optical Design and Analysis Software', free crippled version available. |
| OpTaliX | Comprehensive Software for optical design, thin film coatings and illumination. |
| OptisWorks | Optical simulation software integrated in mechanical CAD software (SolidWorks). |
| Optics Lab | Optical ray tracing software by Science Lab Software |
| OPTEC | 'Paraxia' lens design and raytrace program. |
| Optica | Optical design application for Mathematica from Wolfram Research. Note that this package is no longer distributed by Wolfram Research. See Optica Software instead. |
| Opus | Optical analysis software. |
| OSLO | Comprehensive optical design and analysis software. |
| PC Grate | Analysis of multi-layer diffraction gratings of various groove profiles. |
| ReflectorCAD | Design software for segmented reflectors by Breault Reasearch Organization. |
| reTORT | reTORT is a geometric-optics ray tracer for arbitrary 3D geometries, including GRINs and metasurfaces. |
| SYNOPSIS | Comprehensive lens design and analysis package from Optical System Design, Inc. |
| Virtual Lab | Physical optics analysis and design of lens systems, laser systems, laser cavities, diffractive optical elements and diffraction gratings. |
| VOB | Virtual Optical Bench by Metec, Inc. Also available from Dr.V.Schmidt GmbH |
| WinLens | Optical design software including several modules: Tolerancer, Glass Manager, Pre-Designer, etc. Video tutorials about WinLens are found here. |
| ZEMAX | Optical design and analysis software by Focus Software Inc. |
Laser Design and Integrated Optics Software:
| ASLD | Laser simulation and solid-state resonator design software. |
| FemtoSoft | Software for implementing Frequency-Resolved Optical Gating, a technique for measuring the time-dependent intensity and phase of a femtosecond laser pulse. |
| FreeBPM | Free beam propagation (BPM) software. |
| Fresnel | Simulation and analysis of laser beam propagation. |
| GLAD | Physical Optics and Laser Analysis Software. |
| Hesotar | Virtual Nonlinear Optics Workbook (vNOW). The software enables students and scientists to perform numerical experiments in nonlinear optics of two- or multi-level atoms. |
| LASCAD | Multiphysics simulation to optimize design of laser resonators. Includes thermal and structural finite element analysis of thermal effects in laser crystals, ABCD Gaussian beam propagation, dynamic analysis of multimode and Q-switched operation, 3D wave optics beam propagation code. |
| LightPipes | Beam propagation toolbox for MatLab and MathCad. |
| Lumerical | Offers 2D/3D single-computer and parallel FDTD and an optical mode solver that solves arbitrary waveguide geometries including photonic crystal fiber. |
| Optiwave | Software for integrated and fiber optics. OptiFDTD is a powerful, highly integrated, and user friendly CAD environment that enables the design and simulation of advanced passive and non-linear photonic components. OptiBPM is Waveguide Optics Design Software. |
| Oxalis | Simulation Software in optics and lasers (SimCa, CommodPro, SPIR, Thermopt). |
| Paraxia | Laser system design. |
| Photon Design | Photonics software (OmniSim, FIMMPROP, CrystalWave, PICWave) for active and passive component and circuit design. |
| SimCa | Gaussian beam propagation along optical systems and laser cavities. |
| UNIGIT | Universal rigorous grating solver based on the RCWA and the Rayleigh-Fourier method. |
| Virtual Lab | Physical optics analysis and design of lens systems, laser systems, laser cavities, diffractive optical elements and diffraction gratings. |
| VPIphotonics | Active and passive component, system and link engineering tools. Also provides software modules to design, verify and evaluate active and passive components, fiber amplifiers, DWDM transmission systems and broadband access networks. |
| WinLase | Laser design and gaussian beam propagation. |
Thin Film Design Software:
| Essential Macleod | Thin film design and analysis software. |
| Film Wizard | Software for optimization and synthesis of optical thin film coatings. Other products are Film Tec 2000, Film Monitor, Film Ellipse. |
| FilmStar | A suite of Windows programs for designing, manufacturing and measuring optical thin film coatings. There is also a free version. |
| FreeSnell | Freeware program to compute optical properties of multilayer thin-film coatings. |
| OptiLayer | Software for optical coating design, characterization and manufacturing. |
| SemiconSoft | TFCompanion software, thin-film data analysis for ellipsometry, reflectance and transmittance measurements. |
| TFCalc | Software for designing and manufacturing optical thin film coatings. |
Illumination and Straylight Software:
| Apilux O++ | Optical design software dedicated to photometric applications, optical design and multi-channel systems. |
| ASAP | System analysis program from Breault Research Organization, Inc. for imaging and illumination applications. |
| FRED | Optical Engineering Software for complex, 'real world' optical problems. |
| OptiCAD | Non-sequential illumination, optical analysis and visualization program. |
| Optis-Works | SolidWorks CAD integrated optical software |
| Radiant Imaging | Light source characterization, illumination design software. |
| MIE Scattering | Interactive website for calculating MIE scattering. |
| TracePro | Performance modeling of optical systems and illumination systems. |
Testing Software:
| AtmosFringe | Interferogram Analysis Software. This product appears to be unsupported since 2008. |
| Durango | Interferometry software including data acquisition, analysis, evaluation, import/export and simulation of interferometric data. |
| Focus | Curve fitting software to facilitate spectroscopic modelling and data exchange. |
| Optikos | MTF testing. |
Manufacturing:
| Bentec Services Ltd. | Aspheric optical design, mould tool inserts, polymer optics manufacturing and multiplexed, hyperaspherical surfaces. |
| DOE-CAD | Software for design, mask generation and performance modeling of diffractive optical elements. |
Glass Manufacturers, Optical Materials:
| Almaz Optics | Distributor of russian optics and optical materials. |
| Azom.com | The A to Z of Materials. On-Line materials information site, supplier and expert directory. |
| Cargille | Optical liquids |
| Cerac | Coating materials |
| Chinese Glasses (CDGM) | Chengdu Guanming Optoelectronic Information Material Co. Ltd., USA-website |
| Cradley-Crystals | Synthetic single- and polycrystal products. |
| Crystran | Manufacturer of IR & UV optical materials. |
| CVD Materials | CVD Silicon Carbide and Infrared Materials. |
| EFONGA | European Forum on New Glass Applications (EFONGA). |
| Gradient Lens | Gradient Lens Corp. (GLC), USA, Manufacturer of EndogrinTM radial gradients. |
| Grinext | Gradient index optics for imaging and communications, Russia. |
| Grintech | Gradient index microoptics for telecom, endoscopy, etc. |
| Hikari | Precision optical glass manufacturer, Japan |
| Hoya | Precision optical glass manufacturer, Japan |
| Ioffe | Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute, Semiconductor materials characterization and properties. |
| Kruschwitz | Material for optical thin films and interference coatings. |
| LightPath | Manufacturer of GradiumTM axial gradient index glass. |
| MakeTech | Non-metallic single and poly crystal materials. |
| Molecular Technology | Single crystals, materials and components. |
| OHARA | Manufacturer of precision optical glass. If your browser does not support Flash, try http://www.ohara-gmbh.de (in German). |
| Pilkington | Optical Glass manufacturer. |
| Schott | Schott Glass, Germany |
| SPI Supplies | Manufacturer and distributor of sample preparation equipment and supplies for electron and light microscope laboratories. |
| Sumita | Sumita Glass Company, Japan |
Optical Cements and Adhesives:
| Delo | DELO industrial adhesives. |
| Dymax | High performance adhesives and light curing equipment. |
| Intertronics | Fiber optics and two-part optical epoxies. |
| Norland | Optical adhesives |
| Nye Optical Products | Index matching fluids and gels. |
| Summers Optical | Optical cements and adhesives. |
Engineering:
| Engineering Reference | Practical engineering data and tools for medical device professionals. |
| Precision-Optical Engineering | Design, development, production and testing of optical components for use in the visible and infrared regions of the spectrum. |
Periodicals, Publications:
| Photonics Spectra |
| Design News |
| Europhotonics |
| Fiber Optics Online |
| Laser Focus World | Optoelectronics and laser technology. |
| Lasers and Optronics |
| Lightwave | Fiber-optic communications technology and application worldwide |
| Photonics Online |
| Photonics Spectra |
| OE Reports |
| OE Magazine | Monthly publication of SPIE, International society for optical engineering. |
Standards:
| NIST | Nat'l Inst. of Standards and Technology |
| BIPM | International Bureau of Weights and Measures |
| BSI | Britisch Standards Institution |
| DIN | Deutsches Institut f. Normung. |
| ISO | International Standards Organization |
| ANSI | American Nat'l Standards Institute |
| CIE | International Commission on Illumination |
| CORM | Council of Optical Radiation Measurements |
| IESNA | Illumination Engineering Society of North America |
| OEOSC | Optics and Electro-Optics Standards Council |
| optics.org | Overview on optical standards by optics.org, the online photonics resource. |
Organizations, Associations:
| OSA | Optical Society of America |
| APOMA | American Precision Optics Manufacturers Association |
| ASPE | American Society for Precision Engineering |
| NES/OSA | New England Section of the OSA |
| Photonics Resource Center | The Photonics Resource Center. |
| SPIE | International Society for Optical Engineering |
| DGaO | Deutsche Gesellschaft für angewandte Optik |
| EOS | European Optical Society |
Other useful links:
| Cyber Ray | CyberRayTM, three dimensional ray tracing package for both optical and charged particle beams. |
| Computational Optics Group | Computational Optics Group, IFH, ETH Zurich, Switzerland. |
| Barnard Microsystems | Microwave circuit design software and design |
| 3D Lens | Fresnel lenses and polarizers. |
| Dallas Lasik Eye Surgery | Lasik and HD-Lasik Provider. |
| Don Barron | Converts Zemax optical designs to POVRAY and shows photorealistic renderings of optical designs. A similar feature is found in OpTaliX |
| Function Parser Module | Function Parser by Stuart Midgley (available in Fortran source code) |
| IODC | Lens design problem summary (1998 International Optical Design Conference, Kona, Hawaii) |
| GratingLab | Diffraction grating handbook 5th Ed. by Christopher Palmer |
| Lasersale | Laser products including laser diodes, sights, green laser pointers, and aiming modules. |
| Machine Vision Systems | An overview of machine vision systems manufacturers. |
| MicroPhotonic Recruiters | Technical recruiting firm exclusively committed to to the Optical Industry. Specialized in locating and qualifying photonic talents in the market. |
| Minerals Spectroscopy | Information about color in minerals, access to data on mineral absorption spectra. |
| Optics 2001 | Comprehensive Library on all subjects related to optics |
| Optics Net | Optics directory |
| OpticsNotes | An index of optics & photonics tutorials, references and resources. |
| SpieWeb | Discussion forums hosted by SPIE. |
| sci.optics | Optics newsgroup. |
| TICRA | Electromagnetic analysis of reflector Antenna and Scatterers. |
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Zemax Optical Design software, free download Windows 7