
Using the Trace Listing
The Trace Listing performs a ray trace of a specified ray through the lens, listing its position and direction at every surface.
To create the Trace Listing window:
- Select from the menu Analysis > Listings > Trace
Options panel

- Field
- Using the Field popup menu, select the field for which you wish to calculate. Select Specify manually specify the ray in terms of numerical values.
- Specifier
- If Field popup is set to Specify manually, then this popup is used to select how you will specify the ray. Options are: Reduced field coordinates, Position, Momentum, Tangent, and Angle (degrees).
- Pupil
- This popup is used to select how you will specify the relationship of the ray and the pupil. Options are: Reduced pupil coordinates, momentum, tangent, and paraxial position at stop.
- Wave
- Specify which of the defined waves to use or select "Custom" to enter a wavelength into the box below.
- Paraxial trace
- If checked the paraxial approximation will be used to trace the ray.
- Ray position in surface coordinates
- If checked the ray position at each surface is given in the coordinate frame of that surface. If not checked the ray position is given in the global coordinate frame.
- Ray momentum in surface coordinates
- If checked the ray momentum at each surface is given in the coordinate frame of that surface. If not checked the ray momentum is given in the global coordinate frame.
- Ray momentum in surface coordinates
- If checked the ray momentum at each surface is given in the coordinate frame of that surface. If not checked the ray momentum is given in the global coordinate frame.
- Transfer matrix display basis
- The transfer matrix can be displayed with a basis of your choice. A basis often used in the literature is (px, py, qx, qy), with ray momentum first. Another basis used in the literature is (qx, qy, px, py); this is the usual ordering used for the ABCD matrix.