Raytrace is a non-sequential ray-tracing framework for modelling optical systems. Its main features are:

1. It's pretty fast. The tracing algorithms are written in Cython (i.e. C) and use efficient data-structures for handling many thousands of rays.
2. Correctly handles polarisation
3. Support for dispersion including a comprehensive library of glass-types (taken from refractive-index.info)
4. An interactive user-interface with 3D model/ray rendering through VTK. Tracing is performed "live".
5. A modest selection of optic-types including singlet and achromatic doublet lenses (with AR coating), plane-mirrors, ellipsoidal mirrors, prisms
6. Experimental support for dispersion-analysis (i.e. ultra-fast optics)
7. (Currently broken) support for STEP export of model and rays, via PythonOCC library.

There are still a few "big" features missing:

1. A point-spread function. I'll implement this eventually...
2. STEP Import for full opto-mechanical integration
3. Better design for STEP export
4. Any for of useful documentation :(

Raytrace requires:

• python-3.6 (older versions work on 2.7)
• numpy
• traits / traitsui
• Cython
• Mayavi (for TVTK) / VTK
• (Optionally) PythonOCC - for STEP export
• (Optionally) Chaco / Enable - for integrating line-plots into the UI

The best way to install and run Raytrace is using a Conda environment.

1. Install miniconda (or the full Anaconda distribution)
2. Create a fresh conda-environment using the environment.yml file included in this raytrace repo.