rafalmiedzinski / z-lambda

Z-lambda is a software application designed for analyzing and modeling laser-induced thermal effects in materials. It provides advanced tools for processing experimental data and simulating laser-material interactions, making it a valuable resource for researchers and engineers working in materials science and related fields.

Z-lambda software

for investigating heat transfer during z-scan experiments

Z-lambda is a software tool written in C++ for investigating heat transfer during Z-scan experiments with isotropic transparent solids. The program can calculate the function T(t,x,y,z) of the sample during Z-scan experiments, which makes it a valuable resource for researchers in the field of materials science and optics.

We are excited to inform you that two scientific papers concerning z-lambda have been submitted to scientific journals. One of these papers is open access, and everything is explained within. We kindly ask that you cite our earlier publications concerning Z-scan until these two papers are published.

Rafał Miedziński (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7526-089X)

Izabela Fuks-Janczarek (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5129-6783)

Scientific background

We are pleased to let you know that the final open access version of our article Z-lambda: A terminal-based software for simulation of heat transfer during Z-scan experiments in transparent solids is now available online, containing full bibliographic details.

Please check the full scientific text at SoftwareX journal: (https://authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S2352-7110(23)00231-5)

Installation

To use Z-lambda, you must have a C++ compiler installed on your system. The program can be compiled using at least C++11 compiler with pthreads. Simply download the source code and compile it on your system. For Linux and macOS simply execute bash file:

./compile.sh

The script will compile the programme and save it in the bin directory, along with the files needed to run it. Manually, compilation can be performed using the command:

g++ main.cpp ExperimentData.cpp thermo.cpp -o zlambda -pthread -std=c++11 -O3

Usage

To run Z-lambda, you must provide two input configuration files: ConfigExperiment.txt and ConfigSample.txt. These files specify the experimental parameters and the properties of the sample being tested, respectively.

ConfigExperiment.txt contains the following parameters: Laser pulse energy Laser pulse duration Spot size Number of pulses Scanning step Z-scan range Scanning speed

ConfigSample.txt contains the following properties of the sample:

Absorption coefficient Refractive index Density Specific heat capacity Thermal conductivity Once you have specified these parameters and properties in the input files, you can run the program by executing the following command:

./zlambda.exe

The program will then simulate heat transfer using the specified parameters and properties, and output the temperature distribution of the sample during the Z-scan experiment.

Output

Z-lambda outputs the temperature distribution of the sample as a 3D matrix of values. These values can be visualized using any software capable of rendering 3D matrices. Additionally, the program can output a CSV file containing the temperature values for each point in the matrix.

Impact and Outlook

Z-lambda is a valuable resource for researchers investigating heat transfer during Z-scan (and beyond) experiments with isotropically transparent solids. Its versatility, ease of use, and open-ended nature make it an important tool for ongoing research in this field. Ongoing development efforts promise to further enhance its capabilities in the future.

Z-lambda source: