Optiland v0.5.3 Release Notes

v0.5.3 is a milestone release that introduces the first public version of the Optiland GUI, expands physical modeling capabilities, and enhances the optimization system with powerful new tools. This update pushes Optiland into a more accessible, interactive, and intelligent design platform for optics professionals and researchers.

<img width="2560" height="1380" alt="image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/c7b0b69a-50a9-4bf4-b871-48e5cd86fcce" />

<p align="center"><em>Screenshot of Optiland's GUI showing a reverse telephoto system.</em></p>

🖥️ Graphical User Interface (Preview Release)

• First Public GUI Release
  An interactive desktop interface built with PySide6, providing access to key modeling and analysis tools without requiring code.

• Surface Sag Viewer
  Visualize surface sag profiles directly in the GUI for fast and intuitive inspection.

• Live Analysis Plots
  Dynamic plotting tools integrated into the GUI for rapid design diagnostics.

🧪 Modeling & Analysis Enhancements

• Temperature & Pressure Dependent Index
  Refractive indices can now be computed as functions of temperature and pressure, supporting more realistic and adaptive modeling.

• Angle vs. Height Plot Type
  New analysis plot for tracing ray angles against height, useful for telecentric or afocal systems.

🧠 Optimization System Upgrades

• Total Track Operand
  A new operand for objective functions based on total optical track length, useful for constraining system size or managing physical layout.

• Glass Expert (🚀 New Optimization Type)
  A major addition to the optimizer: automatically explores and selects optimal glass types for a given design, intelligently navigating the glass catalog during optimization. Brings Optiland closer to expert-level design support.

🧰 General Improvements

• Custom Surface Insertion Fix
  Corrected behavior when inserting user-defined surfaces, improving stability for advanced design workflows.

• Expanded Test Coverage
  Additional tests for new features and GUI components.

• Documentation Overhaul
  Significant expansion and revision of documentation, especially for GUI functionality and new optimization features.

Optiland is rapidly evolving into a powerful end-to-end platform for optical design and analysis. The new GUI, advanced physical modeling, and expert-level optimization tools mark a leap forward in usability and capability.