Hyperspectral and multispectral imaging systems capture information across multiple wavelength bands to extract material, chemical, or biological signatures that are not visible in conventional imaging. These systems are increasingly used in applications such as remote sensing, environmental monitoring, industrial inspection, biomedical imaging, and machine vision. Designing optical systems that deliver accurate spectral data places stringent demands on optical performance and stray light control.
TracePro supports the development of these systems by enabling system-level optical simulation that accounts for complex geometry, wavelength-dependent behavior, and unwanted light interactions.
Optical Challenges in Spectral Imaging Systems
Spectral imaging systems are highly sensitive to optical contamination. Stray light, ghost reflections, and spectral crosstalk can introduce measurement errors that degrade classification accuracy or mask weak signals. These effects may originate from internal reflections, surface scatter, diffraction elements, or mechanical structures within the instrument.
Compact packaging further complicates design, particularly for airborne or portable systems, where optics, filters, detectors, and electronics must be tightly integrated. Predicting how light propagates across multiple wavelengths in such environments requires non-sequential analysis.
Non-Sequential Simulation Across Wavelengths
TracePro uses non-sequential Monte Carlo ray tracing to model how light interacts with optical and mechanical components without assuming a predefined path. This makes it possible to simulate multiple reflections, scattering events, and absorption effects that influence spectral purity.
TracePro supports wavelength-dependent material and surface properties, allowing engineers to evaluate how coatings, filters, gratings, and optical substrates affect performance across the spectral bands of interest. This capability is essential for assessing spectral uniformity and identifying sources of crosstalk before hardware is built.
Modeling Real Instrument Geometry
TracePro works directly with detailed three-dimensional geometry, enabling accurate representation of full imaging instruments rather than simplified optical layouts. Optical components, baffles, housings, and detector assemblies can all be included in a single model.
This approach allows designers to identify dominant stray light paths, evaluate baffle effectiveness, and study the impact of mechanical features on spectral performance. Design tradeoffs between optical efficiency, stray light suppression, and packaging constraints can be explored early in development.
Supporting Performance Validation
In later stages, TracePro is used to validate whether hyperspectral or multispectral systems meet performance requirements under realistic operating conditions. Engineers can evaluate illumination distribution at the detector, quantify unwanted spectral contributions, and assess sensitivity to off-axis sources or environmental illumination.
This system-level validation reduces risk by revealing issues that may not appear in component-level analysis, supporting more reliable deployment in demanding applications.
Coordinating Optical and Mechanical Design
Hyperspectral systems often combine optics designed in tools such as OSLO with mechanically complex instrument assemblies. TracePro supports this workflow by integrating optical definitions with imported CAD geometry from environments such as SOLIDWORKS. By maintaining consistency across optical design, mechanical integration, and system-level simulation, TracePro helps ensure that spectral performance goals remain achievable as designs evolve.
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