Zemax User Manual [top]

He opened the manual to Appendix J. The page was blank now—the pencil had smudged to nothing years ago. But the knowledge remained.

The manual provides the rigorous Fourier optics derivation of the Point Spread Function (PSF). It explains the difference between (fast, approximate) and Huygens PSF (slow, accurate). Without reading this, you will misinterpret your image simulation results.

Best practices & troubleshooting

Image and field definitions

Keep a bookmark to the PDF. Whether you are calculating the Petzval sum of a telecentric lens or debugging a ZPL macro that won't compile, the manual is your highest authority. zemax user manual

Perhaps the most critical chapter in any Zemax user manual is the one dedicated to optimization. OpticStudio uses a "Damped Least Squares" (DLS) algorithm to minimize a Merit Function. The manual lists hundreds of "Optimization Operands"—short codes that represent physical constraints or performance targets. Common operands explained include: EFFL: Effective Focal Length. TOTR: Total Track Length. TRAC: Transverse Ray Aberration.

Stray light and ghost analysis

The manual is integrated into the OpticStudio environment to assist you as you work: