Layer parameters

The layers are characterized by the following parameters:

Geometrical thickness: layer geometrival thickness > 0, expressed in nm
Minimum geometrical thickness: Each layer has a minimum geometrical thickness used in optimization process. When generating the layer the minimum geometrical thickness is set at 1nm. See Edit / Layers parameters.
Maximum geometrical thickness: Each layer has a minimum geometrical thickness used in optimization process. When generating the layer the minimum geometrical thickness is set at 20000nm. See Edit / Layers parameters.
Geometrical thickness perturbation: in this place the error generator sets the layer perturbation which is added to the layer thickness when evaluating the coating. WARNING ! This value becomes zero only if the error generator is disactivated. The layers are common resources for all the optical coatings belonging to a root coating, the root coating inclusively, and the activation of the error generator is a function specific to a coating. Pay attention when you are working with more coatings
Layer division: for non-homogeneous layers the number of homogeneous layers is specified in which the non-homogeneous layers is split. As by splitting, a great number of elementary layers can appear, possible leading to a long calculus time, the splitting is limited to 200. This number can be changed by File / Options / Limits values. When generating a layer at editing or in the optimization process (when the geometrical thickness is changed), the layer division is automatically calculated; the elementary layers of 1nm are going to be taken. If the number of the layers is greater than the imposed limiting value then the number of the elementary layers has that limiting value and the geometrical thicknesses of the elementary layers are calculated again (layer thickness / layer division).
Material index: each layer is pointing to a coating material. WARNING ! The branch coating layers inherit this index but not necessarily the material does. If the layer material of the branch coating is linked to the same layer material of the root coating then the dispersion equation parameters of the branch material become scale coefficient; the branch material dispersion equation gives the coefficient (that can depend on lambda) by which n,k root material multiplies to find out n,k branch material. Linked materials are generally used for the optical coatings on the test-plates.

Layer type: variable/fix, divisible/indivisible, etc.;

Parameters specifying how that layer is manufactured

WARNING ! When generating optical coatings, all the layers are put at standard parameters: variable and divisible layers, range of values for thicknesses 1 - 20000nm.