Software tips

This page is intended to give some useful tips and tricks for using 3rd party software than comes in handy when using mask-designer.

Holoeye SLM Pattern Generator

This piece of software allows to compute phase masks and export them. By clicking on File -> CGH computation from image file ... you can load a target amplitude in form of an image.

Pattern generator 1

We recommend to use a scaling factor of \(1\). Optionally, you can also tick to box to show a preview of the simulated results of the propagation of the computed phase mask. This feature seems very limited though, merely returning the initial target phase mask.

Pattern generator 2

The green tab is indicating that the pattern is currently programmed onto the Holoeye SLM. In the case you should have opened different phase masks, multiple tabs will be opened, each in a different tab. By clicking on them the green color will show which one is currently programmed. The Save button allows to export the phase mask to a file and to subsequently use it in mask-designer.

Pattern generator 3

IDS Peak Cockpit

This piece of software is a GUI application that interfaces with the Thorlab camera (just a rebranded IDS camera). First, open the list of connected cameras which should show the Thorlab camera if the installation was successful.

IDS 1

In the adequate menu, you can adapt the exposure time.

IDS 2

In an another one, you can flip the capture along both x- and y-axis.

IDS 3

Finally, you can save the current image to a file.

IDS 4