add

Add optical component to optical system

Since R2026a

Syntax

add(opsys,component,ReferenceFrame=frame)

Description

Add-On Required: This feature requires the Optical Design and Simulation Library for Image Processing Toolbox add-on.

add(opsys,component,ReferenceFrame=frame) adds an optical component to the optical system opsys.

Examples

Position Optical Component Based on Previous Component

Create an empty optical system.

opsys = opticalSystem;

To add a lens component to the optical system, add two refractive surfaces using the addRefractiveSurface object function. Specify the glass material of the lens using the Material name-value argument. Specify the center thickness of the lens, in millimeters, using the DistanceToNext name-value argument.

addRefractiveSurface(opsys,Radius=10,DistanceToNext=4,Material=pickGlass("N-BK7"))
addRefractiveSurface(opsys,Radius=-10)

Display the position of the vertex of the convex lens using the ConstructionFrame property, which defines the construction reference frame origin for the next component.

opsys.ConstructionFrame 

ans = 4×4

     1     0     0     0
     0     1     0     0
     0     0     1     4
     0     0     0     1

To define a sensor component, create an ImagePlane object and specify its position.

simSensor = optics.component.ImagePlane;
simSensor.Shape = 1;
simSensor.Position = [0 2 10];

Add the sensor to the optical system. Specify the construction coordinate system as the reference frame to position the sensor relative to the end vertex of the previous component, the convex lens.

add(opsys,simSensor,ReferenceFrame="ConstructionFrame")

Display a 2-D visualization of the optical system using the view2d object function.

hv = view2d(opsys);

Trace marginal rays through the optical system using the traceMarginalRays object function.

mr = traceMarginalRays(opsys);

Visualize the traced rays through the optical system using the addRays object function.

addRays(hv,mr)

Position Optical Component in Global Coordinate System

Create a empty optical system.

opsys = opticalSystem;

To add a lens component to the optical system, add two refractive surfaces using the addRefractiveSurface object function. Specify the glass material of the lens using the Material name-value argument. Specify the center thickness of the lens, in millimeters, using the DistanceToNext name-value argument.

addRefractiveSurface(opsys,Radius=10,DistanceToNext=4,Material=pickGlass("N-BK7"))
addRefractiveSurface(opsys,Radius=-10)

To define a sensor component, create an ImagePlane object and specify its size and position.

simSensor = optics.component.ImagePlane;
simSensor.Shape = 1;
simSensor.Position = [0 2 10];

Add the sensor to the optical system. Specify the global coordinate system as the reference frame to position the sensor relative to the global origin.

add(opsys,simSensor,ReferenceFrame="Global")

Display a 2-D visualization of the optical system using the view2d object function.

hv = view2d(opsys);

Trace marginal rays through the optical system using the traceMarginalRays object function.

mr = traceMarginalRays(opsys);

Visualize the traced rays through the optical system using the addRays object function.

addRays(hv,mr)

Input Arguments

opsys — Optical system

opticalSystem object

Optical system to which to add optical component, specified as an opticalSystem object.

component — Optical system component

LensElement object | Mirror object | Diaphragm object | ImagePlane object

Optical system component, specified as a LensElement object, a Diaphragm object, a Mirror object, or an ImagePlane object.

frame — Reference frame

"ConstructionFrame" (default) | "Global"

Reference frame, specified as "ConstructionFrame" or "Global".

ReferenceFrame Value	Reference Frame For Optical Component
"Global"	Position the component in the global coordinate system, using the coordinates set by the Position property of the object specified by the component argument.
"ConstructionFrame"	Position the component in the construction coordinate system, using the coordinates set by the Position property of the object specified by component.

To learn more about working with optical coordinate systems, see Coordinate Systems in Optical Design.

Tips

• To add a gap after you add a component using the add function, use the addGap function.

Alternative Functionality

To insert an optical component between specified components in the optical system, use the insert object function.

Version History

Introduced in R2026a