Reply To: Zemax: creating an array of tilted source

[Christophe Weisse]

Hello,

To the best of my knowledge, you won’t find an object that readily does that.

However, you could use a macro or the ZOS-API to place and orient the array of sources to your will.

Here’s a (hopefully close enough) 1D example of what you could do with a ZPL macro. All sources aim at the same point, you use-case being simplier it is rather easy to edit the code to match your needs:

 

# "Focal" distance of the detectors
distance = 25

# Distance between detectors as a factor of the index value
factor = 4

FOR det_index, -5, 5, 1
    # Insert new object in first line of editor
    INSERTOBJECT 1, 1
    
    # Change object type to Detector Rectangle
    SETNSCPROPERTY 1, 1, 0, 0, "NSC_DETE"
    
    # Calculate Detector Y Position
    y_pos = factor * det_index
    
    # Change Detector Y Position
    SETNSCPOSITION 1, 1, 2, y_pos
    
    # Calculated required Tilt About X in deg
    IF (det_index == 0)
        tilt_x = 0
    ELSE
        tilt_x = 90 - ATAN( distance / y_pos ) / 3.14159265359 * 180
    ENDIF
    
    # Adjust Detector Tilt About X
    SETNSCPOSITION 1, 1, 4, tilt_x
NEXT

 

If you run this macro, this is what the 3D Layout will look like:

 

If you need the array to be parametric and/or if your array is very large, it could then be more convenient to program the source the way you need with the Source DLL option.