Docs / First experiment
Welcome to Photonica! In this guide, we'll walk you through your very first optical experiment. We'll explore the interface, play with a prism, and focus light with a lens.
When you first launch the app, you'll see a clean slate: the optical bench. By default, there's a light source emitting a beam and a screen to catch the light. This is your playground.
Instead of building from scratch right away, let's look at one of the built-in experiments.
You'll see a triangular glass prism sitting in the path of white light. The light enters the glass, bends (refracts), and splits into a beautiful spectrum of colours on the screen. This happens because Photonica uses real glass dispersion physics!
Navigating the 3D space is intuitive.
The screen isn't just for show; it's a scientific instrument. It shows exactly where the photons land.
Look at the readout panel on the right side of the window. When you select the screen, this panel displays real-time data: the focus quality, the spot size (RMS radius), and the total optical power hitting the surface.
Let's tweak the experiment and see how the light reacts.
Watch as the spectrum on the screen shifts instantly. Different glasses disperse light differently, and changing the angle of incidence alters the refraction.
Now let's add a new component to control our spectrum.
Drag the lens so the dispersed light passes through it. You'll see the lens focus the spreading colours into tighter spots on the screen. You're designing optics!
Don't lose your masterpiece!
You've mastered the basics! Now you're ready to dive deeper into the physics of light or learn how to design more complex optical systems.