Ray Optics Blog Posts

How to Create Complex Lens Geometries for Ray Optics Simulations
Learn how to set up the model geometry for a complex lens system in a way that ensures an effective and successful ray optics simulation.

Ray Optics Simulation of Sagnac Interferometers and Ring Laser Gyros
Have you ever been in a revolving restaurant that slowly spins as you dine? This same concept can be used to understand the operating principles of Sagnac interferometers and ring laser gyros.

Analyzing White Pupil Échelle Spectrographs via Ray Tracing Simulation
Astronomers use échelle spectrographs to detect far-away planets. To design a white pupil échelle spectrograph with optimized sensitivity, engineers can turn to ray tracing software.

Improving IFE Target Fabrication with a Droplet Microfluidics Method
A common joke is that fusion energy is 30 years away, and always will be. Researchers are using simulation to tackle the challenges involved with of inertial fusion energy target production.

How to Analyze Laser Cavity Stability with Multiphysics Ray Tracing
If you’re looking for an in-depth example of multiphysics ray tracing, then check out this blog post about analyzing and predicting laser cavity stability in the COMSOL® software.

How Does the Choice of Ray-Tracing Algorithm Affect the Solution?
When performing a high-frequency optics simulation, do you use a sequential, nonsequential, or exact ray tracing algorithm? Learn how to choose to make the most of your solution.

Efficiently Optimizing Solar Dish Receiver Designs
By building a simulation application of a solar dish receiver, you can efficiently test different geometries for the dish cavity to determine the optimized shape for your design.

How to Use the New Ray Termination Feature for Geometrical Optics
You can simplify your optical simulations performed with the Ray Optics Module — including model setup and results analysis — with the Ray Termination feature. Read about how to use it here.

How to Couple a Full-Wave Simulation to a Ray-Tracing Simulation
Learn how to couple full-wave and ray-tracing simulations in a model with a nonhomogenous domain around the antenna. Part 4 of a series on multiscale modeling in high-frequency electromagnetics.

How to Couple Radiating and Receiving Antennas in Your Simulations
Learn how to couple radiating and receiving antennas in your simulations by using the scattered field formulation. Part 3 of a series on multiscale modeling in high-frequency electromagnetics.

2 Methods for Simulating Radiated Fields in COMSOL Multiphysics®
2 ways to model radiated fields: the Far-Field Domain node and the Electromagnetic Waves, Beam Envelopes interface. Part 2 of a series on multiscale modeling in high-frequency electromagnetics.

Introduction to Multiscale Modeling in High-Frequency Electromagnetics
Here’s an introduction to performing multiscale analyses of antennas and communication systems. Part 1 of a series on multiscale modeling in high-frequency electromagnetics.