To provide glass data for distribution with ZEMAX, create a glass catalog using Tools...Catalogs...Glass Catalog.



You can include the following data:

• Glass dispersion data, using many different dispersion models
• Glass transmission data, for intermal transmission calculations
• Thermal data
• Glass selection data

The glass selection data includes several items which are very important for lens designers to select the correct glass for their designs. This includes:

• The glass status, which should be one of Preferred, Standard or Obsolete. It is important that glasses are never deleted from the catalog: if a glass is no longer available for purchase, it should be marked as obsolete but not deleted. This ensures that users can always open their files, and have the correct dispersion data available. Catalog data should not normally use the Special or Melt flags, as these are intended for use by users to indicate data that has been modified in some way.
• Other glass selection data, such as relative cost, stain resistance, climate resistance etc. Note that if this data is not provided, it may mean that users are not aware of special issues concerning the glass, and may therefore ignore a useful glass or (worse) select a glass that has some issue that makes it unsuitable.
• A Comment field for each glass, that gives useful information on the glass: typical uses might include 'Replaces obsolete glass X', or 'Good UV transmission' etc.

See the User's Guide, Chapter 18, 'Using Glass Catalogs' for full details of all the information that can be provided.