Imaging

Information about Imaging Design Philosophy in KostaCLOUD

Imaging design philosophy is quite different than existing competitors' software:

• Imaging mode in KostaCLOUD is design with a non-sequential approach to Imaging, where any optic can come in any order.

  • Elements in the Workspace can simply be dragged around. But to maintain compatibility with the standard Lens Design methodology data can be viewed and specified in the familiar, iconic "Table View"

    

    Table View
  • Elements can be dragged and rotated with the Odometry widget which appears when clicking on an element, as shown below:

  

  Lens with Odometry Widget
• A first optic and last optic must be specified. And in the current Beta release a stop must be specified. All rays are "real-ray aimed" unlike competing software. From here KostaCLOUD sequentializes your system. Limitations currently include:

  • Chief Ray must not be blocked on the solve side. If specifying a telescope such as a Newtonian, make the first optic the stop specified in Object Space. Or alternatively make an optic on the the side where there is no obstruction to be the stop and specify in Image Space. This problem arises out of solving the real ray-aiming problem, and such a ray does not exist.

  • The First Element and Last Element must not be tilted, even with a mirror. This limitation is currently out due to the fact that KostaCLOUD is assuming the Optical Axis to be inline with the Mechanical Axis of the optic. In the future this limitation will be removed. To avoid this problem, add a dummy optic as the first optic or last optic.

• Imaging mode allows for Ray-Splitting.

  • First Order Calculations do not inherit Ray-Splitting other than in the case where "Limit Splits" is specified.

  • This allows for Stray Light Analysis.

• Imaging mode allows for structured transverse material (meta-material, gratings, etc.) and uniform dielectric material stack coupled Tracing.

  • KostaCLOUD calculates the response for meta-cells using Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis (RCWA).

  • KostaCLOUD calculates the response for basic gratings such as Blazed Gratings, Holographic Optical Elements (HOEs) and more using Muller Calculus.

  • KostaCLOUD calculates the response for uniform dielectric stacks using Muller Calculus.

• Imaging mode allows for custom equation driven Gradient Index (GRIN) optics.

  • The tracing of such GRIN volumes is solved using semi-symplectic ODE solvers with adaptive stepping techniques. Which allows the solver to take larger steps where it can without drastically impacting the ray trajectory.

• Imaging mode also supports Surface Scattering and Volumetric Scattering.