FORMIDABLE: A Differential Ray Tracer with NURBS Capabilities

FORMIDABLE (Freeform Optics Raytracer with Manufacturable Imaging Design Capabilities) is a proprietary ONERA optical design library featuring differential ray tracing and Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS) optimization capabilities; an ESA-licensed version is also available.

This work presents an overview of FORMIDABLE’s capabilities, demonstrated through freeform, fully reflective three-mirror optical systems with varying configurations. The architectures examined include a classical non-reimaging Three-Mirror Anastigmat (TMA), a reimaging TMA, and a highly folded architecture designated as "Pamplemousse." Results are benchmarked against a commercial optical design software (OpticStudio) using polynomial-based mirror shapes. Future code evolutions, including co-design and AI-driven co-design libraries, as well as the study of new optimization algorithms, will also be presented.

Subject Matter Level: Advanced - Assumes a strong understanding of the topic

What You Will Learn:
• Capabilities of an "open source" differentiable ray tracer
• The advantages of adopting a local NURBS-based surface description for freeform optics
• The code's potential for future development

Who Should Attend:
• Industrial partners dealing with complex optical design challenges who face limitations in commercial software
• PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and academics conducting research in optical design

About the Presenter: Guillaume Druart from ONERA

Guillaume Druart earned his Ph. D. in 2009 and is a research director at ONERA in optical design. In particular, he's working on new designs for cameras in the infrared spectral range. His field interests are non-conventional optical designs, diffractive optics, multichannel designs, freeform optics, GRIN optics, co-design with image processing to miniaturize cameras or add advanced imagery functions like spectro imagery or 3D imagery.