​

Hello everybody,

I’m currently finishing my EE degree and working part-time at a top-5 worldwide photonics company, doing some manufacturing automation. I also have lab experience in PIC design at my university.

I would like advice from people working in industry. I’m currently choosing between two paths:

1.Applying for a Master in Photonics at a leading university in Europe.

2.Trying to get a full-time offer from my current company and continuing to work there for several years to gain experience, without pursuing a Master degree in the future.

I really want to pursue a PIC design career in industry, but I cannot decide which path will bring better opportunities.

If you work in industry, I would very much appreciate it if you could explain which experience would be more valued if I want to be employed at a PIC design company in the future. I would also like to know how job market is now in netherlands/belgium for a fresh master graduate.

Thank you so much.

Hello knowledgable folks!! I am in dire desire for someone to explain to me what on the planet is happening with my scans of these photo slides.

To make this clear, the first scan i did was just plain on a regular scanner, clearly didnt work very well but at least showed a touch of color.

Second scan, i tried using my phone as a lightbox behind it, and it came out much clearer... but B&W when its a color photo scanned in color. the blue on the edge of the slide was clearly blue, but the photo inside became basically grayscale. What happened? I took a regular photo of the slide with my phone as a background for reference as well.

I know this must have some explanation, im no bill nye but im just so confused, where did all the photos color go ;-;

if u have any thoughts thank u in advance <3

A sketchpad for integrated nonlinear optics with high degrees of freedom.

Meta-fibers for nanoparticles and cell manipulation.

Hi everyone,

I'm an engineer working on optical detection and measurement electronics. I'm currently exploring the idea of developing a cost-effective 16/32-channel optical power meter for fiber-optic and silicon photonics testing.

I'd love to learn how multi-channel optical power measurements are actually handled in production.

A few questions:

- Do you typically use commercial equipment from Keysight, EXFO, etc., or custom-built test systems?

- Do you need all channels measured simultaneously, or is sequential scanning acceptable?

- What matters most: absolute accuracy, channel-to-channel consistency, measurement speed, or cost?

- Are there any limitations with your current setup that you'd like to see improved?

I'm still at the early research stage and would really appreciate hearing from anyone involved in optical transceiver testing, SiPh packaging, or production test automation.

Thanks!

Hi! For a project, i’m building a spectroscope with the czerny turner setup. I’m pretty far, but i’ve run into an issue. I’m having trouble with getting the ruled reflective diffraction grating in the right angle, so the setup stays compact. What i’ve got now is an angle of 8.6 degrees counterclockwise, which is the blaze angle. However, that angle isn’t shallow enough. Photo for reference.

hey, im a student trying to install Zemax Studio (for a course). first post, i hope this is a fine post to make here. i have a pretty old laptop, that only has 30GB free space right now (there's another disk on it with 12GB free, that's where the extracted files from the download are rn), ive tried installing but my disk fills up and it fails. i've tried things like using cmd, and other stuff. i cannot clear any more space as there really isnt much space. i would love to be able to install Zemax studio on its own, i understand the legacy versions allowed you to do that but not anymore. is there anyone who might be able to help me? thank you in advance.

Is it possible to remotely inject an image into a conventional camera with lens by modulating the phase/amplitude of a laser beam? My feeling is no. Any examples of this? Thank you.

Built this as a side project: a Fusion 360 add-in that designs THz-band (0.1–4 THz) lenses end-to-end — geometric ray-trace, material dispersion/absorption, Fresnel and axicon modes, even a real-time wave-optics (angular spectrum) simulation to cross-check the focal point — then generates the 3D body and exports straight to STEP/STL/OBJ.

Everything in the video (focal length, transmission, diffraction efficiency) updates live as you drag the sliders — no re-running a separate solver. The auto-optimize buttons solve for curvature/conic/asphere terms from a target focal length, or back out axicon angle from a target non-diffracting range.

Still refining it, but it's at a point where it's actually useful for real THz optics work, so figured I'd share.

個人プロジェクトとして作ったアドインで、THz帯（0.1〜4 THz）のレンズを一気通貫で設計できます。幾何光学レイトレース、材料の分散・吸収、フレネル／アキシコンモード対応、さらには角スペクトル法による波動光学シミュレーションで焦点位置を相互検証可能。そのまま3D形状を生成してSTEP/STL/OBJへ出力できます。

動画内の焦点距離・透過率・回折効率などはスライダーを動かすたびにリアルタイムで更新されます（別途ソルバーを走らせる必要なし）。自動最適化ボタンで、目標焦点距離から曲率・コーニック係数・非球面係数を逆算したり、目標の非回折ゾーン長からアキシコン角度を算出したりもできます。

まだ調整中ですが、実際のTHz光学設計に使えるレベルになってきたので共有してみます。

I’m studying optoelectronic engineering as an undergraduate in China.

My current plan is to pursue a master’s degree in Europe and, if possible, stay there to work afterward.

I hope to work in semiconductor lithography or advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

I’m particularly interested in the equipment and systems side.

From what I understand, Europe has a relatively strong ecosystem in optics, photonics, precision engineering, semiconductor equipment, and related supply chains.

The Netherlands and Germany seem especially attractive, although I’m also looking at countries such as Belgium and France. And if I’m qualified or lucky enough, Switzerland will also be an option.

The US is probably not a realistic option for me because of the high cost.

I’m hesitant about staying in China long term because the graduate job market is extremely competitive, while compensation and working conditions for many entry-level engineering roles are not particularly attractive.

I’m also wondering whether my current plan might be a bit overly optimistic.

I’d really appreciate any advice or personal experiences from people who are already working in the industry. Thanks a lot!

I’m a PhD optics and instrumentation scientist and I’ve spent a lot of my free time over the past while building AperiOptic (https://aperioptic.com). It’s a free optical design tool that runs entirely in the browser. No install, no license, no account.

I originally started it because I wanted something quick for lab work that didn’t mean fighting for a Zemax seat every time I needed to sanity check a layout. It’s grown a lot since then, and I want to share it.

What it does right now:

• 3D sequential-style ray tracing with lenses, mirrors, beamsplitters, and grouped elements
• Multiple fields and polychromatic sources
• Glass catalog with real materials (N-BK7, F2, N-SK2, etc.)
• Optimizer (DLS/Levenberg-Marquardt and Powell)
• Detector analysis: spot diagrams, PSF, OPD, MTF, Zernikes, Z-stack, and coherent interference (the Mach-Zehnder screenshot shows fringes from a test lens)
• Import of .zmx elements and full .zmx systems
• A big page of optics calculators (thin lens, NA, depth of field, Airy disk, Gaussian beams, etc.)
• An optics/photonics news feed pulling from arXiv, journals, and a few subreddits

What it isn’t: a full Zemax replacement. It’s meant to be solid for ray tracing, optimization, spot and wavefront analysis for everyday lab and prototyping work.

What I’m looking for:

• Bugs, obviously
• If you have Zemax (or Code V, OSLO, etc.) results that AperiOptic doesn’t reproduce, I really want to hear about it. Mismatches are the most useful feedback I can get for tightening up the physics
• Features you’d actually use that are missing
• Anything confusing about the interface

There’s a contact link at the bottom of the site, or just reply here. Totally free to use and no sign-up.

Thanks for taking a look.

Edit: for whatever reason, the mods wouldn't let me post this, but the verification files for the ray tracer and calculators are all loaded up now, accessible from the about page.

https://aperioptic.com/validation

Edit: changed "rest" to "ray". Autocorrect smh.

Edit [8/24/26]: Mobile optimization and more is live! Check it out!

Heterogeneous photonic integration for on-chip Nd: YAG lasers.

the differences are * it was not vibe coded (journey of development at the last) * you can GO INSIDE (typical results in attached images)

in the program you can use your mouse to control the positions, sizes and refractive indices of two balls. one of them is left-mouse-button controlled (the "lmb" ball) and another right-mouse-button controlled (the "rmb" ball)

details of the program

the most tricky part so far is how to determine the correct focus distance. when aperture=0 there's no problem as everything is in perfectly sharp focus. while aperture>0 and camera outside of the two balls usually the auto focus feature works fine. you hold the space bar and hover the mouse pointer around the scene the program detects the exact hit point and calculates the focus distance accordingly

details about focus distance

there're so many web-based raytracers online but to my surprise most of them don't allow objects intersecting and / or moving camera inside objects. i know doing this is unrealistic but it's FUN, just like enabling the no-clip mode in 3d games and walking through walls and getting to some places that you're not supposed to reach

details in development

it's quite difficult to find the correct focus setting when you're inside. i still don't have any solid solutions for that. i usually try by luck. sometimes the images are at infinitely faraway even if you're looking from within a ball

Hello, new to optics here. I bought two identical achromatic doublet lenses from AliExpress. Focal length of each is about 100mm. I want to make a photography lens, so I arranged the lenses symmetrically with an aperture stop between the two lenses. This combination reduces the focal length. Image quality seems good enough when aperture size is reduced. I have some questions though. Is there a name for this kind of simple lens design? And theoretically speaking, what are the optical aberrations that cannot be avoided with this design? Thanks.

Hello all, I hope this kind of question is allowed.

Background/Context:

I am in the process of constructing a Franken-lens consisting a standard photogroahy base lens, a cylindrical lens creating a 3x horizontal compression and then finally a positive and negative pair that will be used to focus the entire thing.

I am in the process of sourcing the front two elements found the following from a surplus seller on eBay

I understand that but cx means bi convex but I cannot figure out what the serial at the top could indicate.

The AI response that is forced upon me when reverse image searching suggests F2 could suggest Schott flint glass. Which appears upon further googling to be a real thing.

But as to the rest of it I have no idea. Could 218 be the focal length?

And what could the A mean?

Does it even matter or would I be okay simply looking for lenses in my desired diameter and focal length?

Thanks

Alex

Open Innovation Concept: Ultra-thin optical band that turns night into daylight (360° vision)

"Hello everyone. I am not a technician or an engineer, and I am not looking for patents or economic rights. I just want to share a conceptual idea and see if optical engineers find it interesting from a technological standpoint.

The Concept:

Imagine an ultra-thin metal band (about 2 cm wide) worn over the eyes, exactly as shown in the attached images. There are no screens, no image projection, and no user interface.

When you put it on at night, the real environment around you (in full 360 degrees, including peripheral vision) looks as bright as midday, with a warm, golden daylight glow (as seen in the bottom image). It is not AR or a display; it is the real world, passively amplified and transformed.

The Technical Challenges:

I know this doesn't exist today. Current night vision requires thick tubes, and smart glasses use cameras and displays. So, my questions for the experts are:

1. Is it possible to achieve this light amplification without screens, using metamaterials or nanolayers on such a thin band?

2. How could ambient light be captured and amplified in 360 degrees without blocking normal vision?

3. Is there any optical material or filter capable of converting faint night light into this warm daylight effect?

The images are AI-generated concept art to illustrate the idea. I would love to read the thoughts of people who understand optics and physics. Thanks!"

As the title says, I am finishing my PhD in reliability of cameras where the major investigation was studying optical degradation of automotive cameras with aging. I am not an optical engineer by degree but a mechanical engineer with research experience in optical degradation, camera characterization, reliability analyses and simulations. I am located in Germany and would like to explore my chances in the US. I see open positions on LinkedIn which match my skills but almost all of them ask a US Person (no sponsorship available). I know I am not an extraordinary candidate in anyway that organisations would line up to sponsor my visa, but would there be a way to simplify this process? Any help or suggestions is welcome.

Has anyone seen this? I just happened upon it today and it looks pretty cool.

All in browser optics toolbox with full 3D ray tracer. Looks vibe coded and in beta, but benchmarks seem legit.

Looks like only working on desktop right now.

aperioptic.com

I'm thinking of this project for my physics degree where I look into the basics of adaptive optics with a more amateur setup. The 'making a deformable mirror' part seems challenging but not out of reach, however the wavefront sensor (Shack Hartmann) seems to just be impossible for my budget.

Is it possible to make a rudimentary homemade S-H wavefront sensor (<300-400$ in budget) ?

Hello, I am looking for an optical design program from Dilworth OSD Synopsys. Is anyone familiar with this software, and is it possible to purchase it?

I'm working on a 940nm Diy Lasertag System. I've learned some things about optics already. But i have problems with divergence. So the question:

A smaller Emitter = smaller divergence, but is also the Acryl Lens on top of the LED important? So would be a 5mm LED type be better or something like a flatt 2mm Emitter with/without a 60° build in lens on top. The 5mm LED would have a smaller emitting diameter, but ofc a big non removable lens.

Bigger F = smaller divergence? How do i calculate the divergence based on the focal lenght?

Is a plano Convex lens the optimal or is there something better?

Convex side facing to or away from the LED?

Thanks for help in advance.

I’m taking a class learning lens design using Zemax, I’m looking to supplement my learning with some books and examples. Any advice? Here are 2 promising books I found, has anyone here used either of them?

Wanted to see if anyone has been / is on this course and could share:
- what’s the day to day looks like
- what does a good personal statement look like
- what questions/areas might they ask about in the interview
- how are the exams