Add

The "Add" option allows the user to create new materials to be assigned to objects and surfaces in the simulation. When the user selects this option, the following panel appears:



Figure 1. Add Material panel

Currently, the only possibility is the creation of materials given by their reflection/transmission coefficients. In this panel, the user can set the name of the new material, as well as the color. To set the color, the user needs to double-click the box next to the "Color:" label. For more information about setting a material's color, check APPENDIX A: Color Selection.

In order to set the parameters of the material, the user needs to press the "Set Parameters" button. The following dialog will appear:



Figure 2. Set Parameters dialog

There are two types of coefficient-defined materials:

  • Constant coefficient materials These are materials with reflection and transmission coefficients that are constant (not depending on frequency nor angle of incidence). To define this kind of material, it is necessary to check the "Constant" option under the "Constant" tab and introduce the complex values of the coefficients. Please note that the amplitudes of the coefficients cannot be larger than 1.


Figure 3. Set Parameters dialog (variable coefficients)
  • Variable coefficient materials These are materials with reflection/transmission coefficients that depend on the simulation frequency and the incidence angle of the ray in the surface. To define this kind of material, the user needs to select the "Variable" option under the "Variable" tab of the "Set parameters" dialog. There are two different ways of creating variable coefficient materials:
    • Table definition This mode of creating variable coefficient materials allows the user to manually specify the reflection and transmission coefficient for different frequencies and angles of incidence. To add and remove rows, the user needs to use the "Add" and "Remove" buttons located below the table. The user can edit the content of the cells of the table directly. However, it is possible to bulk update the value of multiple cells at once. To do that, the user needs to select the cells of the table, introduce the value in the "Fill value to selection" field and then press the "Fill" button.
    • Formula definition This mode allows the user to specify formulas used to generate the values of the amplitudes and phases of the coefficients. In the formula definition mode, the user needs to set a sweep of frequency values and a sweep of angle of incidence values, used to generate the data points where the formulas will be evaluated. The user also needs to specify the formulas for each of the amplitudes and phases of the coefficients. The available parameters and functions are shown in the drop-down lists at the top of the "Formula Parameters" panel. The "Apply" buttons next to the formula boxes allows the user to add the function to the formula.


Figure 4. Set Parameters dialog (formula definition)

Once the parameters has been set, the user needs to press the "OK" button on the "Coefficient Material" dialog and then press the "Save" button in the "Add Material" button in order to save the new material.