ZEMAX ray database
File type: Various data file
A .zrd file is a binary ray database created by ZEMAX for non-sequential optical ray tracing.
It stores detailed results for the rays traced through a non-sequential system.
File type category:
Various data file
Date updated: October 9, 2026
The ZRD file extension is associated with ZEMAX OpticStudio, optical design software that uses ZRD files to store ray-tracing results from non-sequential systems.
A ZRD ray database contains complete information for each traced ray, including the position where the ray hits an object, its direction after refraction, and its polarization state. Filter strings can be used in OpticStudio to isolate specific rays in the database for analysis.
ZRD is a binary, software-specific data format rather than a general-purpose exchange format. It remains associated with the Windows version of OpticStudio.
Open a .zrd file in ZEMAX OpticStudio on Microsoft Windows. The file is intended to be examined with OpticStudio's ray-database analysis tools and is not normally readable as a text document.
ZRD files are normally kept in their native binary format and analyzed in ZEMAX OpticStudio.
When a portable result is needed, use OpticStudio's ray-database analysis functions to filter the required rays and export the resulting data, where supported.
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