19 August 2026
OptiLayer GmbH is pleased to announce the release of OptiLayer Pro 2026, a major update that brings significant improvements across the entire software suite. Highlights include a completely rewritten Filter Design option that runs hundreds of times faster and handles filters with hundreds of layers, a redesigned Rugate Synthesis mode, and greatly extended target specifications including fully operational Thickness/Stress targets and improved Color targets.
A central addition is the new Monitoring menu, which lets users run pre-production experiments for both broadband and monochromatic optical monitoring — including batch simulations of up to 1,000 virtual deposition runs in parallel and a dedicated tool for assessing the error self-compensation effect. The graphical interface has also been completely redesigned, with a faster graphics engine, a unified single-window Dock Mode, and a new Dark Theme. The update further includes a redesigned OptiChar n(λ), k(λ) characterization option and the new OptiMonitor Pro real-time deposition control software.
For the full list of new features and improvements, see What’s new in OptiLayer Pro 2026.
14 July 2026
OptiLayer GmbH is expanding its international sales network and is currently looking for distribution partners in Europe and Japan. We would like to hear from companies active in the optics, photonics, or thin-film coating industry that have an established customer base and technical expertise in their region.
Full details on the partner profile we are looking for, the role, and the conditions we offer are available on our Distributors page.
Messe Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany | 5–7 May 2026
From May 5–7, 2026, Professor Alexander Tikhonravov, a globally recognized expert in optical coating technology, presented his latest scientific achievements at the 18th Optatec International Trade Fair in Frankfurt, Germany.
During the exhibition, Professor Tikhonravov introduced cutting-edge developments in the field of multilayer optical coating design and optimization, highlighting innovative approaches that address the growing demands of modern photonics, laser systems, precision optics, and advanced optical instrumentation. His presentations attracted significant interest from researchers, engineers, and industry leaders seeking next-generation solutions for high-performance optical components.
A key highlight of the event was the presentation of Professor Tikhonravov’s new book, which offers comprehensive insights into contemporary optical coating theory, advanced design methodologies, and practical applications. The publication reflects decades of pioneering research and provides valuable guidance for scientists, optical engineers, and professionals working in optical thin-film technologies.
The 18th Optatec exhibition served as an excellent platform for knowledge exchange and international collaboration, bringing together leading experts from across the optics and photonics industries. Professor Tikhonravov’s participation reinforced his long-standing contribution to advancing the science and technology of multilayer optical coatings and shaping the future of optical engineering.
Visitors and industry partners had the opportunity to engage directly with Professor Tikhonravov, discuss emerging trends in optical coating research, and learn more about the scientific principles and innovations presented in his latest work.
Strasbourg, France | 12–16 April 2026
OptiLayer GmbH was pleased to participate in SPIE Photonics Europe 2026, the premier European cross-disciplinary event for optics and photonics research and development, held this year at the Palais de la Musique et des Congrès in Strasbourg, France, from 12 to 16 April 2026.
Munich, Germany | 24–27 June 2025
At Laser World of Photonics 2025 in Munich, the OptiLayer team successfully presented the latest advancements in optical coating design and characterization technologies, attracting strong interest from industry professionals, researchers, and manufacturing experts from around the world.
Visitors to the OptiLayer booth explored the newest modules of OptiLayer Pro, featuring enhanced capabilities for thin-film coating design, process monitoring, data analysis, and optical performance optimization. The company also demonstrated innovative methods and advanced algorithms developed to address the growing complexity of modern photonics applications.
The new software solutions provide users with greater accuracy, faster calculations, improved modeling of complex multilayer structures, and more efficient optimization workflows. Special attention was given to advanced design techniques for high-performance optical coatings used in laser systems, spectroscopy, imaging, sensing, and quantum technologies.
Throughout the exhibition, OptiLayer experts conducted live demonstrations and technical discussions, highlighting how the latest developments help manufacturers reduce development time, improve production yields, and achieve superior optical performance.
The enthusiastic response from visitors confirmed the industry’s increasing demand for powerful and intelligent thin-film engineering tools. OptiLayer remains committed to pushing the boundaries of optical coating technology and delivering innovative solutions that support the next generation of photonics products.
We thank all customers, partners, and colleagues who visited our booth in Munich and look forward to continued collaboration in advancing optical coating science and technology.
Tucson, AZ, USA | 18–23 May 2025
OptiLayer proudly showcased its latest generation of advanced optical thin-film software solutions at OIC 2025 in Tucson, Arizona, one of the industry’s premier events for optical interference coatings and photonic technologies.
During the exhibition, the company introduced its new family of _Pro products, designed to deliver unprecedented performance, flexibility, and efficiency for optical coating design, process control, characterization, and production optimization. The new solutions attracted significant attention from coating engineers, researchers, manufacturers, and technology leaders seeking powerful tools to meet the challenges of next-generation photonics applications.
Visitors to the OptiLayer booth had the opportunity to explore the enhanced capabilities of the _Pro platform, including advanced optimization algorithms, accelerated computational performance, improved data analysis workflows, and innovative approaches to thin-film modeling and manufacturing support. Live demonstrations highlighted how the new products help users shorten development cycles, increase process stability, and achieve superior coating performance.
The OptiLayer team also presented the latest methods and algorithms developed to address increasingly demanding requirements in laser optics, imaging systems, spectroscopy, aerospace applications, telecommunications, and quantum technologies. These innovations enable engineers to design and manufacture complex multilayer coatings with greater precision and confidence than ever before.
Throughout the event, OptiLayer specialists engaged with customers, partners, and industry experts from around the world, discussing emerging trends and sharing insights into the future of optical coating engineering.
The strong interest and positive feedback received at OIC 2025 reaffirm OptiLayer’s position as a leading provider of software solutions for optical thin-film technology. The company remains dedicated to driving innovation and delivering advanced tools that help customers transform ideas into high-performance optical products.
OptiLayer thanks all visitors who joined us in Tucson and looks forward to supporting the continued advancement of optical coating science and photonics engineering worldwide.
We proudly present the revolutionary New 2025 OptiLayer Pro, OptiChar Pro, OptiRE Pro, OL Monitor software, which provides greater performance under Windows, macOS, and Linux. Please contact your distributor for more details.
Scientific software like OptiLayer Pro involves complex workflows, data visualization, and analytical tools. A well-designed user interface (UI) plays a crucial role in improving efficiency and user experience. Among various UI design choices, a one-window interface stands out as a superior approach, offering significant usability benefits. A single-window design consolidates all tools, data panels, and visualization components within a unified workspace. Users do not have to switch between multiple windows, reducing cognitive load and preventing disorientation. This seamless integration enhances productivity, especially for researchers handling intricate datasets and simulations. A one-window interface in scientific software significantly enhances usability by improving workflow efficiency, maintaining user focus, simplifying learning, organizing data effectively, and reducing system overhead. By prioritizing clarity and accessibility, scientific software can empower researchers and professionals to conduct their work more efficiently, ultimately driving innovation and discovery.
New approach for broadband and monochromatic monitoring in OptiLayer Pro. The production of many types of optical coatings, especially complex ones, is based on the use of optical monitoring. During optical monitoring, various algorithms can be used to predict the time of layer deposition termination. It is generally accepted that when monitoring the thicknesses of coating layers, it is desirable to minimize the level of thickness errors. However, in the production of coatings, we are primarily interested not in the thickness errors themselves, but in the quality of the approximation of target spectral characteristics. OptiLayer Pro considers the choice of an optical monitoring algorithm based on this consideration. For the optimal choice of a monitoring algorithm, it is not enough to consider only the levels of thickness errors; it is also necessary to consider the strength of the error self-compensation mechanism. OptiLayer Pro allows one to choose the optimal algorithm for monitoring different types of optical coatings. See Alexander Tikhonravov, Optical Coatings: design, characterization, monitoring, SPIE Press (2024), p. 234.
OptiReOpt_Pro from OptiLayer
OptiReOpt_Pro is an advanced OptiLayer software application that provides a unique opportunity to control and optimize the production of optical coatings. It uses broadband monitoring (BBM) to enable the most complex coatings to be fabricated. As a part of the OptiLayer software, this software plays a crucial role in ensuring that the final product meets the desired specifications. Even in the case of coatings with dozens of layers, computations are so fast that reliable determination of the parameters of the deposited layers and reoptimization of the parameters of the remaining layers does not require interrupting the deposition process. Using this software, you can obtain optimized coating designs, reduce production costs, and shorten production cycles. OptiReOpt_Pro is the ideal solution for those who want to achieve the highest level of quality and performance in their optical coatings, resulting in superior products that meet the most demanding requirements.
What’s New in OptiReOpt_Pro?
High stability against production and monitoring errors. The new version significantly improves the stability of OptiReOpt algorithms with respect to various production and monitoring errors. This includes improved computational stability to fluctuations of deposition rates, noise in monitoring data, and fluctuations of the monitoring signal.
Improved log analysis with JSON formatting. A feature of this version is the structured log in JSON format. JSON is a lightweight data-interchange format designed to be easy for humans to read and write, and easy for machines to parse and generate. With the structured log in JSON format, it becomes easier to analyze and extract data from the log files. The structure provides a clear and easy-to-understand representation of the log messages, making it easier to detect issues and errors. Another advantage of a structured log in JSON format is that dashboards can be built in real time: logs can be monitored as they are generated, with real-time metrics and visualizations. This is useful for detecting issues and addressing potential problems before they become major incidents. Alerts and notifications can also be set up and sent to relevant team members to take action immediately.
Collaboration made easy: using Jupyter Notebook for data analysis. In the new version, we also use Jupyter Notebook, an interactive web application that allows users to create and share documents containing live code, visualizations, and narrative text. One of the main features of Jupyter Notebook is the ability to display multimedia content, including images and videos, alongside live code cells.
Improved documentation on OptiReOpt VDP functions. In the new version, we provide a detailed description of the OptiReOpt virtual deposition process functions (VDP functions), which allows you to use these functions in the most effective way. Preliminary computational experiments to simulate the production of optical coatings allow more accurate control of the deposition process.
Take full advantage of OptiReOpt_Pro’s benefits with Linux compatibility. We are pleased to announce that our OptiReOpt_Pro software is now compatible with Linux, allowing users to take advantage of this operating system. With OptiReOpt_Pro for Linux, users can expect fast performance, enhanced security features, and full integration with existing Linux-based infrastructure for a seamless and streamlined experience.
OptiLayer provides user-friendly interface and a variety of examples allowing even a beginner to effectively start to design and characterize optical coatings. Read more…
Comprehensive manual in PDF format and e-mail support help you at each step of your work with OptiLayer.
If you are already an experienced user, OptiLayer gives your almost unlimited opportunities in solving all problems arising in design-production chain. Visit our publications page.
Look our video examples at YouTube
OptiLayer videos are available here:
Overview of Design/Analysis options of OptiLayer and overview of Characterization/Reverse Engineering options.
The videos were presented at the joint Agilent/OptiLayer webinar.