Meep improvements

• how can we plot refractive index colorbar on meep?
• how can we use plot2D when the simulation is 3d?

import gdsfactory.simulation.gmeep as gm
import gdsfactory.simulation as sim
import meep as mp
import gdsfactory as gf

nm = 1e-3

c = gf.components.mmi1x2(cross_section=gf.cross_section.nitride)
fig = c.plot()

# How can we plot the epsilon or refractive index?
sim = gm.get_simulation(c, is_3d=False)['sim']
sim.plot2D(output_plane=mp.Volume(size=sim.cell_size, center=mp.Vector3(0, 0, 0*nm)))

# This does not work
sim = gm.get_simulation(c, is_3d=True)['sim']
sim.plot2D()

@SkandanC @smartalech @HelgeGehring

[smartalecH]

how can we use plot2D when the simulation is 3d?

@HelgeGehring is right. The idea is you need to pass a plane to visualize (specified by a Volume object).

how can we use plot2D when the simulation is 3d?

The output of plot2D() returns the axis handle of the plot. You should be able to loop through this handle until you find the relevant imshow data structure, which you can then use to create a colorbar.

I don’t have any examples offhand… the last time I actually did this was when I wrote the function 3+ years ago…

[smartalecH]

Would it be a good idea to do have something similar to gf.simulation.add_simulation_markers() but with a transparent box added which represents the PML? I feel like this could be useful in creating 3D scenes of Meep sim objects.

Sure that’d be great. Meep PRs are always welcome. 3D rendering with python has come a long way since we first added visualization support to meep.