Best Optical Design Software
View:
Compare the Top Optical Design Software as of April 2025
Sort By:
What is Optical Design Software?
Optical design software is a specialized tool used to design, analyze, and optimize optical systems, such as lenses, mirrors, and imaging devices. It provides advanced simulation capabilities for modeling how light interacts with various materials and components, allowing engineers to predict system performance accurately. The software is essential in industries like telecommunications, medical imaging, photography, and aerospace, where precision optics are critical. Users can create detailed ray tracing, wavefront analysis, and tolerancing studies to ensure designs meet specific functional requirements. By streamlining complex calculations and visualizing optical phenomena, the software accelerates development cycles and enhances innovation in optical engineering. Compare and read user reviews of the best Optical Design software currently available using the table below. This list is updated regularly.
-
1
COMSOL Multiphysics
Comsol Group
Simulate real-world designs, devices, and processes with multiphysics software from COMSOL. General-purpose simulation software based on advanced numerical methods. Fully coupled multiphysics and single-physics modeling capabilities. Complete modeling workflow, from geometry to postprocessing. User-friendly tools for building and deploying simulation apps. The COMSOL Multiphysics® software brings a user interface and experience that is always the same, regardless of engineering application and physics phenomena. Add-on modules provide specialized functionality for electromagnetics, structural mechanics, acoustics, fluid flow, heat transfer, and chemical engineering. Choose from a list of LiveLink™ products to interface directly with CAD and other third-party software. Deploy simulation applications with COMSOL Compiler™ and COMSOL Server™. Create physics-based models and simulation applications with this software platform. -
2
3DOptix
3DOptix
3DOptix is a cloud-based optical design and simulation platform that enables users to design, simulate, and refine optical systems efficiently. Leveraging cloud and GPU acceleration, it offers rapid analysis capabilities without the need for local installations. The platform provides access to an extensive library of off-the-shelf optical and optomechanical components, facilitating the creation of accurate digital twins of optical prototypes. Its intuitive 3D graphical interface features drag-and-drop functionality and real-time visualization, simplifying the design process. 3DOptix supports both sequential and non-sequential ray tracing, allowing for comprehensive modeling of complex optical systems. Additionally, it offers real-time collaboration tools, enabling multiple users to work on the same project simultaneously, with easy sharing via cloud links. The platform is accessible via any web browser, eliminating the need for specific hardware or software installations.Starting Price: $2,000 per year -
3
TracePro
Lambda Research Corporation
Combines Monte Carlo ray tracing, analysis, CAD import/export, and optimization methods with a complete and robust macro language to solve a wide variety of problems in illumination design and optical analysis. Using TracePro’s user-friendly, 3D CAD interface you can create TracePro models by importing lens design or CAD files, or by directly creating solid geometry. TracePro uses a true solid modeling engine to ensure consistent and robust models. TracePro’s ray tracing engine is fast and accurate. Exact ray tracing to all surfaces even imported splines ‒ no missed intersections or “leaky” rays. Analysis Mode ray tracing, unique to TracePro, is a very powerful capability that creates an interactive environment. With Analysis Mode you can analyze every surface and object both visually and quantitatively. -
4
OSLO
Lambda Research Corporation
OSLO (Optics Software for Layout and Optimization) is a comprehensive optical design program developed by Lambda Research Corporation. It integrates advanced ray tracing, analysis, and optimization methods with a high-speed internal compiled language, enabling users to address a wide array of challenges in optical design. OSLO's open architecture provides designers with significant flexibility to define and constrain systems according to their specific requirements. The software is capable of modeling various optical components, including refractive, reflective, diffractive, gradient index, aspheric, and freeform optics. Its robust ray tracing algorithms and analytical tools offer a solid foundation for optimizing and evaluating lenses, telescopes, and other optical systems. OSLO has been employed in designing numerous optical systems, such as space telescopes, camera lenses, zoom lenses, scanning systems, anamorphic systems, cinema systems, microscopes, ocular systems, etc. -
5
LightTools
Synopsys
LightTools is a comprehensive 3D optical engineering and design software that supports virtual prototyping, simulation, optimization, and photorealistic renderings of illumination applications. It enables users to quickly create illumination designs that work right the first time, reducing prototype iterations and accelerating time to market. Key features include sophisticated solid modeling with full optical accuracy, state-of-the-art ray tracing speed with user-controlled accuracy and resolution, and the ability to create light sources from any geometric model for unlimited flexibility. LightTools offers application-specific utilities to help users quickly build complete models, extensive source and materials libraries, including LEDs and BSDF measurements, and robust data exchange support for mechanical CAD data. The software provides an interactive, dynamic link with SOLIDWORKS and includes multiple modules that can be licensed in various configurations to best match user needs. -
6
OptSim
Synopsys
Synopsys OptSim is an award-winning photonic integrated circuit (PIC) and fiber-optic system simulator that enables engineers to design and optimize photonic circuits and systems. It offers state-of-the-art time- and frequency-domain split-step algorithms, providing a native photonic-domain environment for accurate simulations. OptSim can function as a standalone solution with its own graphical user interface or integrate into the OptoCompiler Photonic IC design platform. When integrated with OptoCompiler, OptSim supports electro-optic co-simulation with Synopsys PrimeSim HSPICE and PrimeSim SPICE electrical circuit simulators, and seamlessly integrates with the PrimeWave Design Environment for advanced simulation, analyses, and visualization, including parametric scans, Monte Carlo, and corner analyses. The software includes extensive libraries of photonic and electronic components and analysis tools, and supports numerous foundry process design kits (PDKs). -
7
OptoCompiler
Synopsys
Synopsys OptoCompiler is the industry's first unified electronic and photonic design platform, combining mature and dedicated photonic technology with Synopsys' industry-proven electronic design tools to enable engineers to produce and verify complex photonic integrated circuit designs quickly and accurately. By providing schematic-driven layout and advanced photonic layout synthesis in a single platform, OptoCompiler bridges the gap between photonic experts and integrated circuit designers to make photonic design accessible, fast, and flexible. OptoCompiler supports electronic-photonic co-design to ensure scalable design processes and offers comprehensive features for hierarchical design, enabling multiple designers to work closely together to shorten product development cycle times. The platform includes dedicated native photonic simulators, in conjunction with industry-standard electrical simulators, for accurate simulation results that account for statistical variations. -
8
OpTaliX
Optenso
OpTaliX is a comprehensive program for computer-aided design of optical systems, thin film multilayer coatings, and illumination systems. It provides powerful features to conceptualize, design, optimize, analyze, tolerate, and document virtually any optical system. OpTaliX includes geometrical and diffraction analysis, optimization, thin film multilayer analysis and refinement, non-sequential ray tracing, physical optics propagation, polarization analysis, ghost imaging, tolerance analysis, extensive manufacturing support, user-defined graphics, illumination, macros, and many more. It is successfully used for the design of photographic and video lenses, industrial optics (beam expanders, laser scanners, reproduction, machine vision), space optics, zoom optics, medical optics, illumination devices, fiber optical telecom systems, infrared optics, X-ray optics, telescopes, eyepieces, and many more.Starting Price: €1,600 one-time payment -
9
RayViz
Lambda Research Corporation
RayViz is a SOLIDWORKS add-in developed by Lambda Research Corporation that enables users to apply and save optical properties directly within the SOLIDWORKS CAD environment. This integration allows for the assignment of optical characteristics from the TracePro property database, which are then stored as part of the SOLIDWORKS model. Users can define light sources and perform ray tracing within SOLIDWORKS to visualize light rays and paths, facilitating tasks such as beam path verification, detection of vignetting by mechanical structures, and identification of light leakage in light guides. RayViz includes catalogs of LED sources, as well as sources with Gaussian and Lambertian beam profiles. A significant advantage of RayViz is its ability to save SOLIDWORKS models in TracePro file format, enabling comprehensive optical analysis in TracePro. If modifications are made to the SOLIDWORKS model, the "update from RayViz" option in TracePro allows for synchronization of the changes. -
10
VirtualLab Fusion
LightTrans
VirtualLab Fusion is an advanced optical design software that facilitates fast physical optics modeling by connecting various field solvers through a unique operator and channel concept. This integration enables efficient simulations that balance accuracy and speed. The software offers a range of packages tailored to specific optical design needs, providing tools and functionalities to support diverse applications. With an intuitive user interface, VirtualLab Fusion simplifies the design process, allowing users to focus on innovation and optimization. The platform also provides access to tips, tricks, training, and webinars to enhance user proficiency. -
11
LucidShape
Synopsys
Quickly and easily create reflector or lens geometry with LucidShape FunGeo. It leverages proprietary algorithms that automatically calculate and construct optical geometries based on user-defined illuminance and intensity patterns. This unique, functional approach gives you the freedom to focus on overall design objectives rather than the implementation details of complex optical components. Accelerate LucidShape illumination simulations with GPUTrace and experience a quantum leap in speed. LucidShape is the first optical simulation software to take advantage of graphics processing unit computing to deliver simulation speed increases by orders of magnitude compared to multithreading capabilities. Use LucidShape's visualization module to demonstrate luminance effects when light sources in a model are illuminated and depict all interactions between system geometry and light sources. -
12
Ansys SPEOS
Ansys
Ansys SPEOS predicts the illumination and optical performance of systems to save on prototyping time and costs while improving your product’s efficiency. Ansys SPEOS delivers an intuitive and comprehensive user interface, enhanced productivity with use of GPUs for simulation previews and easy access to the Ansys multiphysics ecosystem. SPEOS has been assessed by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) against CIE 171:2006 test cases, assessing the accuracy of light modeling software and showing the performance benefits of Ansys SPEOS. Turn on the light in your virtual model and intuitively explore the propagation of light in 3D. The SPEOS Live preview function features simulation and rendering capabilities so you can design products interactively. Cut iteration time and speed up your decision-making process by performing simulations correctly the first time, automatically designing for optical surfaces, light guides and optical lenses. -
13
Ansys Zemax OpticStudio
Ansys
Ansys Zemax OpticStudio is a comprehensive optical design software utilized globally by companies and universities to create and analyze optical systems, including imaging, illumination, and laser systems. It offers a user-friendly interface that integrates analysis, optimization, and tolerancing tools, facilitating the design of complex optical systems for a wide range of applications. The software supports both sequential and non-sequential ray tracing, enabling precise modeling of light propagation through various optical components. Advanced features include structural and thermal analysis, allowing users to assess the impact of environmental factors on optical performance. OpticStudio also provides extensive materials and optical element libraries, enhancing the accuracy of simulations. For students, Ansys offers a free version of OpticStudio, providing hands-on experience in designing and analyzing optical systems, thereby preparing them for future careers in optics. -
14
Ansys Lumerical Multiphysics is a photonics component simulation software that enables the seamless design of photonic components by capturing multiphysics effects, including optical, thermal, electrical, and quantum well interactions, within a unified design environment. Tailored for design engineering workflows, this intuitive product design software offers a fast user experience, facilitating rapid design exploration and providing detailed insights into real-world product performance. It combines live physics and accurate high-fidelity simulation into an easy-to-use interface, supporting faster time-to-market. Key features include a finite element design environment, integrated multiphysics workflows, comprehensive material models, and capabilities for automation and optimization. The suite of solvers and seamless workflows in Lumerical Multiphysics accurately capture the interplay of physical effects in modeling both passive and active photonic components.
-
15
FRED
Photon Engineering
FRED is a comprehensive tool that simulates the propagation of light through optomechanical systems using ray tracing. It supports both coherent and incoherent light propagation and allows users to assign realistic surface properties to every component in a system. Key features include fast and accurate simulation of various light sources, such as lasers, arc lamps, LEDs, ideal emitters, bulbs, and user-defined ray sets. The software offers advanced geometry, scatter, optimization, scripting, and graphic tools, along with fine-grain control of ray trace properties during simulations. It provides comprehensive post-trace analysis features and reports, real-time visualization and editing of complex optical and mechanical systems, and is highly extensible via user-defined scripts. FRED provides core capabilities for propagating light through optomechanical systems. -
16
Polaris-M
Airy Optics
Polaris-M is an optical design and polarization analysis software developed by Airy Optics, Inc., integrating ray tracing-based optical design methods with polarization calculus, 3D simulation, anisotropic materials, diffractive optic simulation, stress birefringence, and diffraction theory. Developed over a decade at the University of Arizona's Polarization Laboratory and licensed to Airy Optics in 2016, it includes over 500 functions for ray tracing, aberration calculation, polarization elements, stress birefringence, diffractive optical elements, polarization ray tracing calculus, and liquid crystal cells and optical elements. Polaris-M requires Mathematica, providing a powerful macro language for optical design and a deep set of algorithms for graphics, computer algebra, interpolation, neural networks, and numerical analysis. The software features comprehensive documentation with active help pages accessible via the F1 key, offering explanations, inputs, outputs, and live examples. -
17
ELEOptics
ELEOptics
ELEOptics, founded in 2019, is a company dedicated to advancing optical engineering through innovative software solutions designed to streamline design and collaboration processes. Their product suite includes Ember, a desktop application for dynamic first-order layout and third-order design analysis; Spark, a cloud-based platform that enhances teamwork with version control and project requirements tracking; ARC, an application integrated with Onshape to unify optical and mechanical design teams for seamless opto-mechanical system development; and Aurora, a cutting-edge optical physics library enabling hyperscale simulations with a user-friendly API for rapid iteration. Committed to fostering a strong optical community, ELEOptics also provides a platform for professionals to collaborate and exchange ideas, driving innovation in the field. -
18
Ansys Lumerical FDTD
Ansys
Ansys Lumerical FDTD is the gold-standard for modeling nanophotonic devices, processes, and materials. The integrated design environment provides scripting capability, advanced post-processing, and optimization routines. This finely tuned implementation of the FDTD method delivers best-in-class solver performance over a broad spectrum of applications. The integrated design environment provides scripting capability, advanced post-processing and optimization routines, allowing you to focus on your design and leave the rest to us. A range of benefits allow for flexible and customizable models and simulations. Ansys Lumerical FDTD models nanophotonic devices, processes and materials so you can focus on creation. Lumerical FDTD is the gold-standard for modeling nanophotonic devices, processes and materials. This finely tuned implementation of the FDTD method delivers reliable, powerful and scalable solver performance over a broad spectrum of applications. -
19
CODE V Optical Design
Synopsys
Synopsys' CODE V is a powerful optical design software that enables engineers to model, analyze, optimize, and support the fabrication of imaging optical systems. It offers advanced capabilities for designing complex optical components, including freeform surfaces, and provides tools such as global synthesis for global optimization, glass expert for intelligent glass selection, and beam synthesis propagation for accurate diffraction analysis. CODE V's robust tolerancing features help reduce manufacturing costs by predicting and compensating for potential fabrication and assembly errors. The software also facilitates interoperability with other Synopsys tools, such as LightTools, for comprehensive optical and illumination system design. Comprehensive graphics capabilities (pictures, data plots, shaded displays), including 3D visualizations and diffraction-based image simulations. -
20
BeamXpertDESIGNER
BeamXpert
BeamXpertDESIGNER is a laser simulation software that enables real-time simulation of laser radiation propagation through optical systems. It offers intuitive operation with a CAD-like 3D representation, facilitating quick and precise results. The software is designed to be easy to learn, allowing users to achieve reliable outcomes after just one hour of training. Its interactive interface supports direct manipulation of optical components through drag-and-drop functionality, with real-time updates to the beam path. BeamXpertDESIGNER provides parameters such as beam diameter, waist position, and Rayleigh length, adhering to ISO 11145 and 11146 standards. The software includes a comprehensive component database featuring over 20,000 optical elements from various manufacturers, enabling users to integrate market-standard components into their designs. Additionally, it offers functionalities for analyzing and optimizing optical systems. -
21
BeamWise
BeamWise
BeamWise is a set of software tools and related services for the design of biophotonic and other complex optical systems. It is implemented using Design++, a knowledge-based engineering platform that simplifies the capture of in-house engineering expertise and streamlines the integration of legacy systems into design automation and product configuration solutions. BeamWise fills the gap between the optical and mechanical worlds by augmenting CAD tools like AutoCAD and SolidWorks with design rules and a component library, ensuring that beam alignment is maintained as design changes propagate through the system. This design automation system addresses significant challenges in optical system design, such as costly prototype iterations, time-consuming design documentation, and poor predictability of instrument performance, by automating the creation of 3D CAD models and design documentation, including drawings and parts lists.
- Previous
- You're on page 1
- Next