Ray Optics & STOP Analysis with COMSOL^®

Optical systems are often required to operate in harsh environments, such as at high altitudes, in space, and underwater, where they are subjected to structural loads and extreme temperatures. In a similar way, optical devices in high-powered laser and nuclear applications are subjected to extreme conditions.

The most accurate way to fully capture these environmental effects is through numerical simulation using structural-thermal-optical performance (STOP) analysis — a quintessential multiphysics problem. COMSOL Multiphysics^® features unique STOP analysis capabilities where thermal expansion and refractive index distribution can be fully coupled with changes to the ray optics trajectories, which is essential for laser-based manufacturing and the like.

In this session, we will show how to use the Ray Optics Module to combine ray-tracing simulations with structural and thermal analyses to form fully self-consistent STOP models.