Modeling Structural-Thermal-Optical Performance

Optical systems are often required to operate in harsh environments, such as at high altitudes, in space, and underwater, where they are subjected to structural loads and extreme temperatures. In a similar way, optical devices in high-power laser and nuclear applications are subjected to extreme conditions.

The most accurate way to fully capture these environmental effects is through numerical simulation using structural-thermal-optical performance (STOP) analysis — a quintessential multiphysics problem. COMSOL Multiphysics^® features unique STOP analysis capabilities where thermal stress, structural deformation, and a temperature-dependent refractive index distribution can be fully coupled with changes to the ray optics trajectories, which is essential for laser-based manufacturing and the like.

In this webinar, we will show how to use the COMSOL Multiphysics^® software for combining ray-tracing simulations with structural and thermal analyses to form fully self-consistent STOP models.