Optics Software for Layout and Optimization (OSLO) is an

optical design Optical lens design is the process of designing a lens to meet a set of performance requirements and constraints, including cost and manufacturing limitations. Parameters include surface profile types (spherical, aspheric, holographic, diffractive, ...

program originally developed at the University of Rochester in the 1970s. The first commercial version was produced in 1976 by Sinclair Optics. Since then, OSLO has been rewritten several times as computer technology has advanced. In 1993, Sinclair Optics acquired the GENII program for optical design, and many of the features of GENII are now included in OSLO. Lambda Research Corporation (Littleton MA) purchased the program from Sinclair Optics in 2001. The OSLO

software Software is a set of computer programs and associated documentation and data. This is in contrast to hardware, from which the system is built and which actually performs the work. At the lowest programming level, executable code consists ...

is used by scientists and engineers to design

lens A lens is a transmissive optical device which focuses or disperses a light beam by means of refraction. A simple lens consists of a single piece of transparent material, while a compound lens consists of several simple lenses (''elements''), ...

es,

reflector Reflector may refer to: Science * Reflector, a device that causes reflection (for example, a mirror or a retroreflector) * Reflector (photography), used to control lighting contrast * Reflecting telescope * Reflector (antenna), the part of an ant ...

s, optical instruments,

laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word "laser" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The fir ...

collimators, and illumination systems. It is also used for simulation and analysis of optical systems using both geometrical and

physical optics In physics, physical optics, or wave optics, is the branch of optics that studies interference, diffraction, polarization, and other phenomena for which the ray approximation of geometric optics is not valid. This usage tends not to include effec ...

. In addition to optical design and analysis, OSLO provides a complete technical software development system including interactive graphics, math, and database libraries.

Applications

OSLO provides an integrated software environment that helps complete contemporary optical design. More than a lens design software, OSLO provides advanced tools for designing medical instrumentation, illuminations systems and telecommunications equipment, to name just a few typical applications. OSLO has been used in a multitude of optical designs including holographic systems, anastigmatic telescopes, gradient index optics, off-axis refractive/diffractive telescopes, the

James Webb Space Telescope The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a space telescope which conducts infrared astronomy. As the largest optical telescope in space, its high resolution and sensitivity allow it to view objects too old, distant, or faint for the Hubble Spa ...

, aspheric lenses, interferometers, and time-varying designs.

Capabilities

OSLO is primarily used in the lens design process to determine the optimal sizes and shapes of the components in optical systems. OSLO has the capability of modeling a wide range of reflective, refractive and diffractive components. In addition, OSLO is used to simulate and analyze the performance of optical systems. OSLO's CCL (Compiled Command Language), which is a subset of the C programming language, can be used to develop specialized optical and lens design software tools for modeling, testing, and tolerancing optical systems. OSLO has many unique features, for instance slider wheels. This feature allows users to affix up to 32 graphical sliders providing callbacks to default or user-supplied routines that perform evaluation or even full optimization iterations when a slider is moved. Some examples in the use of these slider wheels to design telescopes are provided by Howard.

Compatibility

OSLO works with other software products using a DDE (

Dynamic Data Exchange In computing, Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) is a technology for interprocess communication used in early versions of Microsoft Windows and OS/2. DDE allows programs to manipulate objects provided by other programs, and respond to user actions affect ...

) Client/Server interface. This enables the program to work with products such as

MATLAB MATLAB (an abbreviation of "MATrix LABoratory") is a proprietary multi-paradigm programming language and numeric computing environment developed by MathWorks. MATLAB allows matrix manipulations, plotting of functions and data, implementation ...

to create a multi-disciplinary environment, such an environment was used to design and analyze the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT).

Editions

OSLO is available in one educational and one commercial edition.

Free educational product

• OSLO EDU OSLO EDU can be downloaded from the Lambda Research Corporation web site. The OSLO Optics Reference, which can be downloaded as a PDF, provides a self-contained introductory course in optical design.

Commercial product

• OSLO Premium

References

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External links

Lambda Research Website
Optical software