Optica Software™ is the foremost provider of tools for virtually modeling and testing complex optical systems in Mathematica®. Our software tools allow scientists and engineers to specify novel and innovative optical systems for both project development and conceptual validation.

For over ten years, Optica Software has supported optical design solutions for Mathematica®. Optica Software has introduced a suite of optical design products that extend well beyond the features of the original Optica™ product:

Rayica™ Wavica™ LensLab™

Rayica™

Rayica™ performs geometric, nonsequential, polarization ray-trace calculations of optical systems in three-dimensional space. It offers unprecedented flexibility and builds upon the enormous repertoire of symbolic, numeric, and graphic capabilities of Mathematica®. Rayica™ has a searchable component database of more than 6,800 commercial optical parts to help you design optical systems quickly, but it does not limit you to predefined components or a constrained script language.

Graded Index Refraction

This Luneberg lens is a sphere with a radially symmetric refractive index profile.

Luneberg lens index vs. sphere radius Luneberg lens raytrace

Seeing the Light: Modeling the human eye in Rayica™

Wavica™

Wavica™ is the first commercial package to dynamically synthesize analytic models of optical systems. In particular, Wavica uses both Rayica and Mathematica® to calculate analytic optical models for applications in physical optics, global optimization, symbolic paraxial and higher-order solutions, diffraction, interference, and Gaussian-beam propagation.

Powerful Symbolics: Using Mathematica® to the fullest

Symbolic parameterization of optical system characteristicsSymbolic optical path lengthSymbolic surface interceptsSymbolic intensitySymbolic ABCD matrix analysisSymbolic global optimization of system parameters

Additional Rayica/Wavica Features:

In-depth characterization of imaging opticsZernike-polynomial fit of wave frontInterference calculationsWavefront calculationsHolographic diffraction gratingsParaxial and higher-order symbolic calculationsArbitrary precision calculations of optical systemsGaussian-beam wavefront propagationGraded-index refraction: lenses and optical fibersRandomized light sources and Monte Carlo ray-tracingDiffuse surface scattering (including Lambertian)Analytic parametric descriptions of optical surface shapesPolarization ray-tracing and birefringenceModulation Transfer FunctionGeometric Point Spread FunctionDiffractive Point Spread FunctionCoherent Transfer FunctionPupil FunctionSeidel aberrations

LensLab™

LensLab™ is an entry-level product for amateur users that offers enhancements to the original Optica™ product at a lower cost than Rayica.

Annual Support Plans

How can we get your newest features?

We continually update and add new features to our software. Assistance through our annual support plans (ASP) can help you get started on your project or optical model. If you currently subscribe to our annual support plan you are entitled to upgrade your software free of charge.

Benefits:

Access to the support and download areas of our websiteFree product upgrades over a 12-month period to receive the latest version of our softwareA free home-use licenseTop-priority access to our support teamFree computer system transfers One hour of consulting service time

Look for Annual Support Plans under the store tab on our website

A New Graphical User Interface (GUI) for Rayica™ and Wavica™

Key features of the GUI:

Improved ease of use and a shorter learning curveReal-time graphics that help speed up the optical design processNew kinds of optimizations Pull down menus for defining optical componentsReal-time optics with slider manipulation of symbolic variablesTables for keeping track of optical systemsEasy import and export of user defined optical systems to and from Mathematica® notebooksEasy to mix notebook defined systems with menu defined systems

Using the GUIKit of Mathematica®, (version 5.1 and later) we have discovered a way to display your optical system in real-time as a “SliderWindow”. Here, each user-defined parameter becomes a slider bar that you can drag to change its value. The SliderWindow enables the user to quickly visualize how changes to different system parameters will affect the outcome of the optical model.

What do our customers have to say?

"I look to Rayica™ almost daily to answer both simple and difficult optical problems. I get close to an order of magnitude more mileage out of Rayica than my other more expensive ray-tracing programs. There is simply no substitute for the flexibility and power that Rayica and Wavica™ offer. While you don't have to be a Mathematica® expert to use Rayica, I've found the ability to leverage Mathematica® for further analysis to be indispensable.“

Mark DeckerLaser SystemsNorthrop Grumman Corporation

“I have found the power of Rayica™ to be a great help in my laser design work. I am able to custom design much in my models whether it be just reproducing what is on my optics table or pumping a laser crystal. And as a Macintosh user I am very pleased that this program works fully with Mac OS X. Also the customer support that comes with Rayica is extremely helpful if you run into difficult problems."

Paul Stysley NASA

What do our customers have to say?

“It is really useful for our optics calculations, especially the ray tracing function. I also like the feature that can combine with the Mathematica® calculation. This is a unique function that other software cannot support. Thank you very much!”

Yung-Hsun WuCollege of Optics & Photonics/CREOLUniversity of Central Florida

“Rayica™ and Mathematica® give you unprecedented power for analyzing your optical system. Every calculation tool in Mathematica is at your disposal without leaving your ray-tracing environment. Integration, derivatives, matrix multiplication, Fourier transforms, complex analysis…the possibilities are endless.”

Damon Diehl, Ph.D. ASE Optics, Inc.

Site Licenses

Optica Software site licenses are attractively priced and eliminate the hassle of complicated site license administration. Whether you are interested in licensing Optica Software products for use within an academic institution, commercial, government, or non-profit organization, we have designed a site license to fit your needs and budget. Pricing is determined by the number of users you specify. You may also purchase additional licenses as you increase the number of users.

Academic

Commercial

Government

Non-profit organizations

Donald Barnhart, our lead developer is currently taking requests for speaking engagements and seminar sessions to demonstrate our Rayica™, Wavica™ and LensLab™ products. If you have a project or application where our software may be beneficial, please contact us for availability to come speak with your staff.

We are able to modify our software to fit your custom needs. Contact us for any special requests or software enhancements needed that are not currently shown on our website. If you can visualize the application, we will prepare a customized proposal and plan for you. Visit the product comparison matrix on our website to review the features and benefits most important to you.

Contact Us:

Donald Barnhart, Chief Architect & Lead Developerdonald@opticasoftware.com

Lorenzo Kindle, Sales Executivelorenzo@opticasoftware.com

Ann Williamson, Software Developerannw@opticasoftware.com

Email: support@opticasoftware.comWebsite: www.opticasoftware.com

Voice: 217.328.9847

Toll Free: 1.866.328.4298

Fax: 217.328.9692

Optica Software Sales & Development