FRED Version 23.10

FRED version 23.10.4 is officially released and available for download on our website.  The following new features and capabilities are available in this version:

Notable usability enhancements include: 

• Simple controls in a new Chart Navigator pop-out to set custom max/min chart scaling and increase / decrease text font sizes. 
• Dynamic rescaling of axes in the charts (via click and drag on the axes) 
• The addition of a text “Info window” pop-out that features pertinent information to the chart such as total power and ray counts to avoid having to refer scroll back through the output window. 
• An optional “Dark Mode” setting 

The new charting supports the vast majority of the existing analysis functionality in FRED but is not considered complete and is being released in preview form to solicit user feedback to improve it further whilst its development continues. Please take a look, tell us what you think and what you’d like to see by emailing us at support: fredsupport@photonengr.com.  

Note it is possible to revert to the legacy charting at any time by deselecting the “Use LightningChart” option in Tools… Preferences… Charting, then restarting FRED. 

• The object tree isolation feature has been expanded to include options to add and remove objects from the isolated view. This useability enhancement makes it easier to adjust an existing isolated view rather than having to start from scratch. 

• A new Gaussian Diffuse surface scatter model has been added and supports anisotropic scatter in addition to super-gaussian parameters to achieve flat-top like behaviors as typically seen in engineered diffusers. 
• Total Internal Reflection (TIR) is now counted as its own event in ray path analyses and a new set of ray selection filters have been added to identify TIR events within paths. 
• The Zernike surface has been expanded to 231 terms (order 20) and the optic import utility updated to support import of Zernike surfaces up to this order from lens design programs. 
• Ray Path Filters now support selections of Custom Elements and SubAssemblies to work better in conjunction with surfaces which have been grouped via the Ray Path Node Number(s) feature.