@@ -4,20 +4,20 @@ Before defining the project goals, let us first look at the current situation wh
...
@@ -4,20 +4,20 @@ Before defining the project goals, let us first look at the current situation wh
## Current Issues
## Current Issues
As stated in the introduction, the design of complex high-energy / intensity laser systems requires a detailed simulation of optical (and of course mechanical) effects and aspects. Often, these aspects have to be simultaneously taken into account while optimizing a system design. Different aspects might even stand against each other, such that optimizing (e.g. maximizing/ minimizing) one effect degrades the performance of other system parameters. So, a hollistic approach would be desireable.
As stated in the introduction, the design of complex high-energy / intensity laser systems requires a detailed simulation of optical (and of course mechanical) effects and aspects. Often, these aspects have to be simultaneously taken into account while optimizing a system design. Different aspects might even stand against each other, such that optimizing (e.g. maximizing/ minimizing) one effect degrades the performance of other system parameters. So, a holistic approach would be desirable.
In the past, many tools were developed, often adressing very particular optical effects at sevarl companies and research institutes. Often theses tools are only used at the institutions which developed the software and even there only used by one or two people (e.g. in the frame of a master of PhD thesis). This of course sometimtes leads to the situation that different institutes repeat the work and "reinvent the wheel". Hence, a common set of tools accompanied by proper knowledge exchange would significantly reduce this inefficiency.
In the past, many tools were developed, often addressing very particular optical effects at several companies and research institutes. Often these tools are only used at the institutions which developed the software and even there only used by one or two people (e.g. in the frame of a master or PhD thesis). This of course sometimes leads to the situation that different institutes repeat the work and "reinvent the wheel". Hence, a common set of tools accompanied by proper knowledge exchange would significantly reduce this inefficiency.
Besides the solutions for modelling particular aspects of optical systems, there are many more general-purpose tools on the market which are unfortunately commercial, closed-source solutions. Each software has its own underlying design strategy. Furthermore, many of these tools (e.g. ZEMAX, OSLO, etc.) are more designed for simulating more "traditional" optical systems such as camera objectives or illumination setups. In contrast, laser (chain) systems often demand for different features which are not always fully supported (or easy to model) by these software packages.
Besides the solutions for modelling particular aspects of optical systems, there are many more general-purpose tools on the market which are unfortunately commercial, closed-source solutions. Each software has its own underlying design strategy. Furthermore, many of these tools (e.g. ZEMAX, OSLO, etc.) are designed for simulating more "traditional" optical systems such as camera objectives or illumination setups. In contrast, laser (chain) systems often demand different features which are not always fully supported (or easy to model) by these software packages.
The usage of different tools during the design phase often requires to repeatedly model the optical system in the particular software and provide a bunch of input parameters. A common platform would allow for modelling the desired system once and analyze it with the abovementioned tools and provide the input data in the particular format.
The usage of different tools during the design phase often requires repeatedly modelling the optical system in the particular software and providing a bunch of input parameters. A common platform would allow for modelling the desired system once and analysing it with the above-mentioned tools and providing the input data in the particular format.
## Goals
## Goals
Based on the current situation discussed above the project tries to adress the follonwing goals:
Based on the current situation discussed above the project tries to address the following goals:
- Improve the knowledge exchange about already existing software to model particular aspects of optical systems
- Improve the knowledge exchange about already existing software to model particular aspects of optical systems.
- Conception of a general system for describing optical systems. This concept would also be helpful as a base for open-science / open-data efforts serving as a metadata standard.
- Conception of a general system for describing optical systems. This concept would also be helpful as a base for open-science / open-data efforts serving as a metadata standard.
- Development of a software platform / framework with the goal to provide clear interfaces (e.g. API or file-based) for interoperation of the different tools.
- Development of a software platform / framework with the goal to provide clear interfaces (e.g. API or file-based) for the interoperation of the different tools.
- (Depending on time constraints), direct implementation of modules within the above framework instead of external interfaces (e.g. geometric optics / raytracing).
- (Depending on time constraints), direct implementation of modules within the above framework instead of external interfaces (e.g. geometric optics / raytracing).
- (Depending on time constraints), development of intuitive GUI for easy modelling of optical systems.
- (Depending on time constraints), development of intuitive GUI for easy modelling of optical systems.
This book represents the project documentation of OPOSSUM (**OP**en **S**ource **O**ptics **S**imulation **S**ystem and **U**nified **M**odeller). The goal of this project is the development of a common software platform for simulating various aspects of optical systems in a hollistic approach. It should be particular useful for simulating and designing large-size highenergy / intensity systems.
This book represents the project documentation of OPOSSUM (**OP**en **S**ource **O**ptics **S**imulation **S**ystem and **U**nified **M**odeller). The goal of this project is the development of a common software platform for simulating various aspects of optical systems in a holistic approach. It should be particularly useful for simulating and designing large-size, high-energy / intensity laser systems.
While there are a plethora of, mostly commercial, simulation / calculation tools available, most of them only address specific aspects of an optical system. For example, there are tools for pure geometric optics (raytracing), the simulation of non-linear effects in materials, wavefront propgation, parasitic lasing, diffuse illumination / straylight simulation etc... Modern laser systems need to take all these aspects into account which requires a repeated change of the tools and / or remodelling the optical system. This project is an approach to unify this design workflow.
While there are a plethora of, mostly commercial, simulation / calculation tools available, most of them only address specific aspects of an optical system. For example, there are tools for pure geometric optics (raytracing), the simulation of non-linear effects in materials, wavefront propagation, parasitic lasing, diffuse illumination / straylight simulation etc... Modern laser systems need to take all these aspects into account which requires a repeated change of the tools and / or remodeling the optical system. This project is an approach to unifying this design workflow.
This project is a task within the **THRILL** project. The **THRILL** acronym stands for **T**echnology for **H**igh-**R**epetition-rate **I**ntense **L**aser **L**aboratories and is a project funded by the European Union.
This project is a task within the **THRILL** project. The **THRILL** acronym stands for **T**echnology for **H**igh-**R**epetition-rate **I**ntense **L**aser **L**aboratories and is a project funded by the European Union.
Within the **THRILL** project, this task (3.4) has the title "supporting calculations for system design" and is lead by GSI. The task description from the proposal is as follows:
Within the **THRILL** project, this task (3.4) has the title "supporting calculations for system design" and is led by GSI. The task description from the proposal is as follows:
> [...] To strengthen the design decisions and later benchmark the system performance, the use of theoretical modelling is of vital
> [...] To strengthen the design decisions and later benchmark the system performance, the use of theoretical modelling is of vital
> importance. It exists a number of simulation tools for certain aspects of the laser chain (broadband generation, nonlinear
> importance. It exists a number of simulation tools for certain aspects of the laser chain (broadband generation, nonlinear
...
@@ -17,6 +17,6 @@ Within the **THRILL** project, this task (3.4) has the title "supporting calcula
...
@@ -17,6 +17,6 @@ Within the **THRILL** project, this task (3.4) has the title "supporting calcula
The project has a funding period of four years. The more specific goals and the project structure will be discussed in the following.
The project has a funding period of four years. The more specific goals and the project structure will be discussed in the following.
*Note*: This documentation will most probably never be a *finished* document but continuosly extended and modified with the progression of the project.
*Note*: This documentation will most probably never be a *finished* document but continuously extended and modified with the progression of the project.
