Movie monitors capture a desired field component over the region spanned by the monitor for the duration of the simulation. Movie monitors are only available in the two-dimensional variety (and only z-normal for propagator simulations). The resultant movies are saved with the same name as the monitor in the current working directory.
Tip: Computations requirements Memory: Movie domain field monitors usually require modest amounts of memory. To reduce the memory requirements, reduce the output movie resolution. Computation time: Movie monitors can have a large effect on the simulation time. Consider disabling your movie monitors to increase the simulation speed. |
Note: It is possible to create a CW movie from profile or power monitor data.
General tab
Simulation type: Record the type of simulation data, the default setting is ALL
- HORIZONTAL RESOLUTION: The horizontal width of the final movie, in pixels.
- VERTICAL RESOLUTION: The vertical height of the final movie, in pixels.
- SCALE: A dimensionless variable that defines how to scale the capture of the field data, with the tendency that a scale factor too small will result in saturation of the movie, while a scale factor too large will result in very faint radiation patterns. This parameter may not be less than zero. Once the simulation is run, the monitor outputs its maximum intensity at the end of the simulation in the variable "maxI". Setting the scale factor to the value of "maxI" and rerunning the simulation will result in a perfectly scaled movie.
- DRAW STRUCTURE OUTLINE: A toggle that allows the user to superimpose an outline of the refractive index profile on top of the movie. This can be used to aid in visualization of where the radiation is located within the dielectric structure.
- TM, TE FIELD COMPONENT: 2D simulations. The field component to be captured in the movie. The choices depend on whether a TE or TM simulation is being performed, as set out in the FDTD simulation region. If a TM simulation is being performed, the TM field component is captured to the movie, whereas if a TE simulation is being performed, the TE field component is captured. Can also be ELECTRIC FIELD INTENSITY (|E|2) or MAGNETIC FIELD INTENSITY (|H|2).
- FIELD COMPONENT: 3D simulations. The field component to be captured in the movie. Can also be ELECTRIC FIELD INTENSITY (|E|2) or MAGNETIC FIELD INTENSITY (|H|2).
Geometry tab
Monitor type: The monitor type and orientation, this option will control the available of spatial setting below
- X, Y, Z: The center position of the simulation region
- X MIN, X MAX: X min, X max position
- Y MIN, Y MAX: Y min, Y max position
- Z MIN, Z MAX: Z min, Z max position
- X SPAN, Y SPAN, Z SPAN: X, Y, Z span of the simulation region
Advanced tab
Note: This tab includes options that should only be changed if you are quite familiar with the meshing algorithm and techniques used.
- MIN SAMPLING PER CYCLE: This parameter determines the desired amount of sampling per optical cycle.
- SAMPLING RATE: This converts the minimum points per optical cycle into an actual sampling rate in Hz.
- DOWN SAMPLE TIME: This is the time step downsampling.
- FRAME RATE: The speed at which frames are displayed on the screen, in units of frames per second. The default is 30.
- RECORD DATA WITHIN PML: This option is as described above for time-domain monitors.
Results returned
- A movie file (.mpg) named after the simulation file name is generated. The file can be found in the same directory as the simulation file. To view the movie, use a 3rd party movie player such as Windows Media Player.