!!! Important !!!

The main branch of this project has been updated to PyOpticL v2.0! This is a breaking change for existing designs. Unless you manually update PyOpticL within FreeCAD, existing installs should be unaffected.

If you need to install v1:

• Use Branch: v1-legacy when following the install instructions

To update to v2.0:

• Backup all locally changed files (optomech.py, stls, etc.)
• Uninstall PyOpticL from addon manager (This will delete all PyOpticL source files, backup your changes)
• Restart FreeCAD
• Re-install PyOpticL

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PyOpticL - Code-to-CAD optical system engineering

Discord Server: https://discord.gg/vV4NP6rXmp

ReadMe

• Library Features and Information
• Installation Guide

Wiki

• Quickstart Guide
• Model Import Guide
• Contributing to PyOpticL

Modular baseplate examples:

• Laser - Extended Cavity Diode Laser (with optical isolator)
• Doublepass AOM Baseplate
• Singlepass AOM Baseplate
• Saturation Absorption Spectroscopy Baseplate
• Periscope
• CoverBox

Modular Subsystems based on baseplates:

• Laser Cooling and Detection
• Raman Zeeman qubit
• Photoionization
• State Preparation and Measurement

AMO Apparatus based on modular subsystems:

• Trapped Ions - Strontium
• Trapped Ions - Calcium

3D Models and Technical Drawings

• Click Here for 3D Models and Technical Drawings for All Modules

About PyOpticL (Python Optics Layout)

PyOpticL is a Python library for optics layout which uses beam-path simulation and dynamic beam-path routing for quick and easy optical layout by placing optical elements along the beam path without a priori specification, enabling dynamic layouts with automatic routing and connectivity. The beam paths are automatically calculated as components are placed in the layout. Component placement can be defined "along beam" to remove the need for hard-coded coordinates. Beam calculations include reflection, transmission, refraction, and diffraction (limited). This library enables a new paradigm of optical engineering using modular sub-systems of modular baseplates with commerical optical elements (see abstraction layers below).

Demonstration with Trapped Ion Qubits:

See our recent preprint for more details about our results using these laser sources and baseplates in our lab:
arXiv:2501.14957 - Qubit operations using a modular optical system engineered with PyOpticL: a code-to-CAD optical layout tool

Getting Setup

1. Install FreeCAD, Python, and Git

2. Add PyOpticL as a custom addon repository in FreeCAD
   Under Edit>Preferences>Addon Manager>Custom Repositories, click the plus icon and enter the following information:
   Repository URL: https://github.com/UMassIonTrappers/PyOpticL.git
   Branch: main
   Press OK to save settings

3. Install the PyOpticL library In the Addon Manager (Tools>Addon Manager), search for "PyOpticL" and click install.
   Note: if you get an error related to git, try disabling it - Edit>Preferences>Addon Manager>Disable git

4. Check everything is setup correctly
   You should now be able to re-launch FreeCAD and see the "PyOpticL" workbench in the workbench dropdown

5. Check out the wiki for guides on how to get started and examples

6. Read the docs library documentation

Pre-made Layouts

Macro files for pre-made layouts can be found in the PyOpticL directory. This can be found in:
<FreeCAD User Data Directory>/Mod/PyOpticL/Design
On windows this is:
%APPDATA%\FreeCAD\Mod\PyOpticL\Design

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PyOpticL Community Members:

• MIT QUANTA LAB (Prof. Isaac Chuang created the initial C4PO library which inspired this project)
• MIT Quantum Photonics & AI Group (Prof. Dirk Englund)
• UCONN - Prof. Simone Colombo
• Montana St. - Prof. Matt Jaffe
• UC Berkeley - Prof. Aziza Suleymanzade
• UW Madison - Prof. Josiah Sinclair
• NUS - Prof. Dzmitry Matsukevich
• Stanford - Prof. Jonathan Simon
• Quera
• Durham University

Again we thank the MIT QUANTA LAB for sharing their C4PO ('CAD for Precision Optics') based on OpenSCAD which inspired this library.