Project Structure

With the Application, Loop Pipeline Design is considered as a single Project having hierarchical structure and containing set of different kind of Elements having different degree of complexity. For representation of tree graph Project docked window is used. All parameters characterizing any element of hierarchical tree are combined at the lower level of hierarchy. Example of expanded tree graph is illustrated with following figure:

There are two general groups into tree graph -- Settings and Objects. Settings group contains information about general visualization, analysis, and results representation settings, and Objects contain information about Elements combined into Optical System, and information about sources of irradiation. Each Element may contain hierarchical groups of lower level. Each Element may be considered as set of lover level Elements and so on. There are properties of Optical Primitives at the lower level of hierarchy.

Each element of hierarchical tree graph containing lower level of hierarchy is marked with small rectangle at the left. Using it, you can expand or collapse any part of graph to rich more comfortable field of vision. Expandable group of Elements is marked with small “+” (plus) sign into rectangle; otherwise, collapsible group of Elements is marked with small “-“ (minus) sign within the same rectangle.

To expand or collapse internal structure of element of hierarchical tree graph place pointer over small rectangle at the left of element and click left button of your pointing device.

Optical Element

Optical Element is a crucial type of Element specified within Application. Generally, each Elements consist of several Surfaces containing Optical Material between them. In the extreme case, the Element consists of a single surface. You can edit shape and mutual position of Surfaces affecting form-factor of Element (except some special cases like Prisms) and change Optical Material affecting optical properties of Element.

There is a number of specific (or predefined) Optical Elements integrated with Application. The placement/removing elements into/off optical system is organized as editing procedure upon the tree, corresponding to structure of your Project.

Light Source

Light source is second general type of Element specified within Application. According to applied model of light source, it represents with the totality of elementary stigmatic radiators forming the radiating body. Polar diagram of irradiation intensity (indicatrix of irradiation) is the same for every elementary radiator.

In addition, you can edit directly power and spectral properties of irradiation sources.

Optical Material

Optical Material is a special element of Optical System hierarchical structure that is considered as an integral part of any Optical Element containing two or more Surfaces. Note that Optical Material is the medium filling internal space between several surfaces. You cannot create or delete Optical Material directly. If you want to fill any internal space with any material, you should combine all boundary surfaces into single Optical Element. Optical, thermo and other properties of any surfaces are set separately. Environment of Optical System is not considered as Optical Material.

Within hierarchical tree, Optical Materials are usually placed between Surfaces combining Optical Element. But, in some special cases, Optical Material may be represented without representation of surrounding Surfaces. It is true for Elements having unchangeable shape like Prism. Both types of hierarchical tree are represented below:

Lens Element

Prism Element

There is a number of Optical Materials that can be used with Application combined into several catalogues. You cannot edit properties of Optical Material directly but you always can find appropriate material from catalogue.

One of the tree folders (groups/items) can be made current and thus available for editing. To do this one should place mouse marker at the group title (row) and press left mouse button. The group/row becomes marked with blue color and its contents appear in the table below. In general, the  The type of a parameter (integer, real, character or other) shown in the concrete table cell depends upon the contents of marked group/item. The type of the edited value must match to the expected contextual type of the edited parameter.

For each element its location in space should be defined as well as its internal structure, including shape and properties of surfaces, forming this element. In other words, the constructive parameters of an element must be defined.