Ansys’ OpticStudio STAR Module from Zemax Wins Coveted SPIE Prism Award in Software

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Zemax, acquired by Ansys in 2021, received the highly esteemed SPIE Prism Award in Software for the OpticStudio STAR Module. The annual awards recognize the latest and greatest innovation in optics and photonics. Released last spring, the new structural, thermal, analysis, and results (STAR) module optimizes workflows between OpticStudio and finite element analysis (FEA) packages, expanding the possibilities for optical design and simulation.

SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, has presented the awards along with its media partner Photonics Media since 2008 to celebrate the best in the optics and photonics industry. The ceremony is aligned annually with SPIE Photonics West, the largest annual international conference in optics and photonics. 

“The Prism Awards were first presented at SPIE Photonics West in 2009 to support and bring visibility to the optics and photonics community,” said Pamela Robertson, Event Manager at SPIE. “The world has grown in recognizing the importance of our industry, how photonics is enabling solutions for our greatest global challenges across critical areas such as healthcare, climate change, information dissemination, transportation, and security. We are grateful to companies such as Zemax and their work to innovate across multiple industries. It’s an honor to share in their first Prism Awards win – I expect many more in the future. And many thanks to all Prism applicants, finalists, and winners these past 14 years, and to those to come in the future.”

By extending OpticStudio’s capabilities to include structural, thermal, and optical performance (STOP) analysis based on FEA datasets, the STAR Module presents an integrated workflow that streamlines optical design, while helping to reduce design errors, development time, and material costs. 

Integrated into OpticStudio, the STAR Module makes it easier to import FEA, analyze structural and thermal loads, and automate workflows directly within one software.

“The STAR module offers engineers and designers invaluable insight into how structural and thermal factors will impact the optical performance of their designs, while enabling workflow automation,” said Esteban Carbajal, senior product manager for OpticStudio STAR Module. “We are proud to be honored for this pivotal advance in optical design and simulation.”

Further, with built-in validation tools, the STAR module allows users to observe FEA datasets and optical surfaces simultaneously for easier alignment verification and assessment prior to numeric fittings or evaluation.

“Typically, to perform STOP analysis, engineers must deal with challenges such as coordinating system alignment between OpticStudio and FEA software,” said John Lee, vice president and general manager of electronics, semiconductor, and optics business unit at Ansys. “The STAR Module eliminates this obstacle and provides streamlined and advanced optical design that easily integrates into any simulation workflow. We are honored that SPIE recognizes this significant contribution to optical innovation.”