Frequently Asked Questions

Optica™ is designed for scientists, engineers, and researchers working on advanced optical and electromagnetic modeling problems. It is particularly well suited for users who need flexibility beyond traditional design tools, including those developing new optical concepts, exploring complex systems, or working across multiple physical scales.

Most optical design tools rely on structured workflows and predefined assumptions. Optica™ takes a different approach. It is a flexible modeling environment built on the Wolfram Language that allows users to define, explore, and optimize optical systems with a high degree of control. This makes it especially effective for solving non-standard problems and developing new designs that fall outside conventional frameworks.

Optica™ is particularly effective for: Electromagnetic and diffraction-based simulations Polarization-dependent systems Custom optical system modeling Multi-scale problems ranging from large optics to sub-wavelength structures It is often used where traditional tools are too restrictive or where deeper physical modeling is required.

Yes. Optica™ can be used alongside other optical design tools such as Zemax, TracePro, ASAP, Code V, and FRED. In many cases, optical systems can be transferred into Optica™ for further analysis, refinement, or extension beyond the capabilities of traditional workflows. Because there is no universal standard for optical system exchange, integration between tools is not always fully automated and may require some manual translation depending on the complexity of the model. This approach is often used when moving from structured design tools to more advanced or customized modeling environments. Optica™ provides a flexible modeling environment that allows users to reconstruct and extend designs with a high degree of control when needed. We continue to explore improved interoperability approaches as part of ongoing development.

Yes. Optica™ can work with geometry from common solid modeling tools such as SolidWorks and Creo. Optical or mechanical components can be imported directly into Optica™ for analysis and simulation. Optica™ supports both STL and STEP file formats. While STL files represent geometry using triangular facets, STEP files preserve smooth surfaces using NURBS-based definitions, providing higher geometric fidelity for optical modeling. Imported models can be used as optical components within ray tracing and electromagnetic simulations. Optica™ can also export geometry and results—such as optical component shapes or traced ray paths—for use in other environments. As with most multi-tool workflows, integration with external CAD systems may require some setup depending on the specific tools and level of detail involved.

OpticaSE™ and OpticaEM™ have now been unified into a single integrated product named Optica™. Historically, OpticaSE™ focused primarily on symbolic and geometrical optical modeling, while OpticaEM™ extended these capabilities toward advanced electromagnetic and vector diffraction analysis. Over time, the capabilities of both systems became increasingly interconnected, and maintaining separate product names no longer reflected how the software was actually being used in practice. Today, Optica™ combines these capabilities within a single unified environment for optical system modeling, wave optics, diffraction analysis, optimization, and custom application development. This change simplifies licensing, installation, technical support, and long-term product development while preserving compatibility with existing Optica workflows. Existing users of OpticaSE™ or OpticaEM™ may continue to use those names informally when referring to earlier versions of the software or particular modeling approaches within Optica™.

Yes. Unlike many cloud-dependent optical modeling platforms, Optica™ is normally installed and operated locally within the user’s own computing environment. This allows optical designs, simulation data, proprietary algorithms, and engineering workflows to remain fully contained behind an organization’s own firewall when desired. For organizations working with sensitive or proprietary optical systems, Optica™ can therefore be deployed without requiring external cloud-based computation or storage. At the same time, Optica™ also supports optional cloud deployment of custom applications when desired. Users may choose to deploy applications publicly, privately within an organization, or selectively to specific collaborators depending on their requirements.