Raypier - A Non-sequential optical ray-tracing framework

Raypier is a non-sequential ray-tracing framework for modelling optical systems. Its main features are:

1. It’s pretty fast. The tracing algorithms are written in Cython (i.e. C) and use efficient data-structures for handling many thousands of rays.

2. Correctly handles polarisation

3. Support for dispersion including a comprehensive library of glass-types (taken from refractive-index.info) and diffraction-gratings

4. Point Spread Function (PSF) and E-Field evaluation by summation of of Gaussian modes.

5. Paraxial Gaussian mode evaluation covers generally astigmatic modes.

6. Tracing support for conics section and general aspherics (conic + polnomial)

7. An interactive user-interface with 3D model/ray rendering through VTK. Tracing is performed “live”.

8. A modest selection of optic-types including singlet and achromatic doublet lenses (with AR coating), plane-mirrors, ellipsoidal mirrors, prisms

9. STEP model/trace export for integration with external CAD systems

There are still a few “big” features missing:

1. The documentation is not comprehensive (yet).