Surface Properties

4.Use the File|Export Property command to create a text file that contains the information for the selected surface property. The dialog box prompts you to enter the name and location of the text file you will create. You can find out more about the format used by TracePro for these files by referring to the Surface Import/Export Format section in the TracePro help file. The exported file is a tab-delimited text file that can be opened with a spreadsheet program.

Importing a Surface Property

The steps listed below show the method to import a property within Surface Properties.

1.Select Define|Edit Property Data|Surface Properties to open the Surface Property editor window.

2.Use the File|Import Property command to import a text file (in the proper format) that contains the information for a surface property. The dialog box will prompt you to enter the name and location of the file to import. You can find out more about the format used by TracePro for these files by referring to the Surface Import/Export Format section in the TracePro help file.

Surface Property Plot Tab

The Surface Property Plotter evaluates the optical properties of a surface. Many properties vary due to wavelength, angle or other parameter. The Property Plotter provides visualization of such properties with options to define the display parameters. You can make plots of performance versus wavelength or angle of incidence. The plotter is independent of the TracePro model and can be used to perform “What if” studies to evaluate different combinations of surface properties. In Figure 3.14, you see a plot of an AR coated piece of Schott BK7 glass measured vs. wavelength.

From the Surface Property Editor, click on the Plot tab in the editor. The selected property will be displayed for the current set of plot options.

TracePro 5.0 User’s Manual

3.29

Defining Properties

FIGURE 3.14 - Surface Property Editor Window

To modify the display parameters or materials used in the calculation, select the Plot Options button to modify the plot parameters.

FIGURE 3.15 - Surface Plot Options Dialog

3.30	TracePro 5.0 User’s Manual

Surface Properties

Incident Medium

Select a material that is an interface to one side of the surface property to be plotted. This selection specifies what the light ray travels through before reaching the surface.

Catalog	Select an appropriate catalog of optics materials from the dropdown list. This
	box is grayed out if the Air check box contains a check mark.
Name	Select an incident medium property name from the dropdown list. This box is
	grayed out if the Air check box contains a check mark.
Air	Place a check mark in the Air check box if there is no object in the path of the
	light ray before it reaches the surface property to be plotted.

Substrate Medium

Select a substrate medium material property by selecting a catalog and a name, or select Air to indicate that no object or interface exists on the side of the surface property where light rays exit.

Catalog	Select an appropriate catalog of optics materials from the dropdown list.
Name	Select the name of the substrate medium from the Name dropdown list.
Air	Select Air by placing a check mark in the Air check box indicating that no
	object or interface exists on the side of the surface property where light rays
	exit.

by angle (deg)

Enter the angle range in degrees and a wavelength in microns.

from	Enter the beginning of the angle range [any number 0-90].
to	Enter the end of the angle range [any number 0-90]
wave (um)	Enter a wavelength.

by wavelength (um)

Enter the wavelength range and an angle.

from	Enter the start number of the wavelength range.
to	Enter the end number of the wavelength range.
angle	Enter an angle [any number 0-90].

TracePro 5.0 User’s Manual

3.31