Integrated multiphysics simulation framework for non-sequential STOP analysis

As industrial optical systems increasingly operate at higher power densities, employ very large-scale optical assemblies, and serve applications requiring extremely high precision (e.g., high-brightness laser systems, space telescopes, and semiconductor lithography), the coupling between optical propagation, thermal gradients, and structural deformation has become a primary bottleneck to system performance. Ansys Zemax OpticStudio (AZOS) has the STAR module for structural, thermal, and optical performance analysis. While the module is a powerful solution, it lacks the capability to handle non-sequential models, which are essential for accurately representing scattering and multiple reflections in realistic optical assemblies, as well as for correctly analyzing complex light source profiles such as those of diode lasers and fiber lasers. To address this limitation, we developed a new workflow that bridges non-sequential ray tracing with finite element analysis, thereby enhancing the predictive capability for complex opto-mechanical interactions. The proposed workflow links AZOS and Ansys Mechanical (Mechanical) via original in-house AZOS extensions and is validated through two case studies: (1) mirror distortion induced by mechanical stress, and (2) contamination-driven thermal lensing in a fast-axis collimator for diode lasers. The results provide a quantitative methodology for predicting optical performance variations caused by the coupled effects of thermal, structural, and optical phenomena (such as beam quality degradation or focal instability), thereby minimizing design iterations and reducing prototyping costs and development time for advanced optical systems.