Julius A. Muschaweck
CEO at JMO GmbH
SPIE Involvement:
Publications Committee | Conference Program Committee | Author | Editor | Instructor | Special Event Speaker
Area of Expertise:
Optical Design for Illumination , LEDs , Matlab , C++ , LightTools
Websites:
Profile Summary

I am a German physicist, and have been working on optical design for illumination for over twenty years. After a stay as Visiting Scholar at the University of Chicago with Prof. Roland Winston (well known as the originator of Nonimaging Optics), I was co-founder and CEO of OEC, an optical engineering service which pioneered freeform optics. Later, at OSRAM, where I held the position of Senior Principal Key Expert (the highest rank in the OSRAM/Siemens expert career), I coordinated the over 100 optical designers within OSRAM world-wide. I then joined ARRI, the leading movie camera and lamp head maker, as Principal Optical Scientist. Now, I am working as an independent consultant, providing illumination optics solutions to industry clients, teaching courses on illumination optics, and writing about the subject. I am is the author of over 25 scientific papers and the inventor of over 50 patent applications.
It is not only the surprising depth, and mathematical beauty, of illumination optics that continues to fascinate me after over 20 years in the field. What really strikes me as unique is that is beautiful, deep theory allows us to derive strong statements about what is possible, and what is impossible in our daily work as optical designers.
Publications (27)

Proceedings Article | 10 August 2024 Open Access Presentation
Proceedings Volume 13022, 1302202 (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3025344

Proceedings Article | 13 May 2024 Paper
Julius Muschaweck, Kristina Uhlendorf, Barbara Flückiger, Lutz Garmsen, David Pfluger, Giorgio Trumpy, Martin Weiss
Proceedings Volume 12798, 127980E (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2691618
KEYWORDS: Light sources and illumination, Color, Scanners, Optical design, Light emitting diodes, Waveguides, Dyes, Diffusers, Tunable filters, Optical transmission

Proceedings Article | 14 September 2023 Paper
Proceedings Volume 12798, 127980H (2023) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2691622
KEYWORDS: Light sources and illumination, Geometrical optics, Inhomogeneities, Monochromatic aberrations, Telescopes, Rods, Reflection

Proceedings Article | 14 September 2023 Paper
Proceedings Volume 12798, 127980J (2023) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3005730
KEYWORDS: Design and modelling, Light sources and illumination, Waveguides, Solids, Prisms, Hollow waveguides, Optical design, Total internal reflection, Refraction, Reflection

SPIE Journal Paper | 26 July 2023
OE, Vol. 62, Issue 07, 070401, (July 2023) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.10.1117/1.OE.62.7.070401
KEYWORDS: Light emitting diodes, Matrices, Collimation, Optical engineering, Light sources and illumination, Light sources, Optical design, Data modeling, Lamps, Collimators

Proceedings Article | 3 October 2022 Paper
Proceedings Volume 12220, 1222002 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2631710
KEYWORDS: Geometrical optics, Light emitting diodes, Optical design, Ray tracing, Imaging systems, Solar concentrators, Projection systems

Proceedings Article | 3 October 2022 Presentation + Paper
Proceedings Volume 12220, 1222004 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2632439
KEYWORDS: Wavefronts, Freeform optics, Light sources and illumination, Ray tracing, Light emitting diodes, Light, Complex systems, Refractive index

SPIE Press Book | 13 April 2022
KEYWORDS: Light emitting diodes, Reflectors, Light, Optical design, Imaging systems, Tolerancing, Nonimaging optics, Projection systems, Lamps, Geometrical optics

Proceedings Article | 19 November 2021 Paper
Proceedings Volume 12078, 120781Z (2021) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2605496

Proceedings Article | 12 September 2021 Presentation + Paper
Proceedings Volume 11874, 118740B (2021) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2601775
KEYWORDS: Light emitting diodes, Data modeling, RGB color model, Blue light emitting diodes, Spectral models, MATLAB, Process control, Indium gallium nitride, Thermal modeling, Temperature metrology, Colorimetry

SPIE Journal Paper | 27 October 2018 Open Access
OE, Vol. 57, Issue 10, 101700, (October 2018) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.10.1117/1.OE.57.10.101700
KEYWORDS: Optical design, Optical engineering, Optics manufacturing, Software development, Optical testing, Imaging systems, Biomedical optics, Lens design, Optical fabrication, Cameras

Proceedings Article | 30 September 2013 Paper
G. Groot Gregory, Ian Ashdown, Willi Brandenburg, Dominique Chabaud, Oliver Dross, Sanjay Gangadhara, Kevin Garcia, Michael Gauvin, Dirk Hansen, Kei Haraguchi, Günther Hasna, Jianzhong Jiao, Ryan Kelley, John Koshel, Julius Muschaweck
Proceedings Volume 8835, 88350D (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2021670
KEYWORDS: Computer aided design, Light sources, Data modeling, Ray tracing, Optical design, Light emitting diodes, Manufacturing, Binary data, Optical testing, Solid modeling

Proceedings Article | 18 December 2012 Paper
Proceedings Volume 8550, 85502G (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2001607
KEYWORDS: Silicon, Solid state lighting, Refractive index, Light scattering, Glasses, Particles, Absorption, Semiconductors, Thermography, Scattering

Proceedings Article | 11 October 2012 Paper
Proceedings Volume 8485, 84850P (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.930605
KEYWORDS: Ray tracing, Optical design, Light sources, Lamps, Projection systems, Monte Carlo methods, Mathematical modeling, Optical spheres, Geometrical optics, Optics manufacturing

Proceedings Article | 21 September 2011 Paper
Herbert Weiss, Julius Muschaweck, Stefan Hadrath, Sergey Kudaev
Proceedings Volume 8170, 81700M (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.903050
KEYWORDS: Lamps, Light emitting diodes, LED lighting, Diffusers, Light sources and illumination, Floods, Optical design, Collimation, Light sources, Reflectors

Proceedings Article | 21 September 2011 Paper
Proceedings Volume 8170, 81700N (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.896757
KEYWORDS: Ray tracing, Binary data, Light sources, Near field, Optics manufacturing, Monte Carlo methods, Optical design, Near field optics, Optical simulations, Polarization

Proceedings Article | 9 February 2011 Paper
Proceedings Volume 7954, 79540A (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.877219
KEYWORDS: Light emitting diodes, Scattering, Beam shaping, Laser scattering, Spherical lenses, Collimation, Mirrors, Light scattering, Solids, General lighting

Proceedings Article | 2 September 2010 Paper
Julius Muschaweck, Peter Brick, Stefan Grötsch, Simon Schwalenberg
Proceedings Volume 7652, 765209 (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.868632
KEYWORDS: Light emitting diodes, Optics manufacturing, Near field optics, Compound parabolic concentrators, Tolerancing, Lenses, Photonic crystals, Optical design, Silicon, Domes

Proceedings Article | 22 August 2005 Paper
Proceedings Volume 5942, 594206 (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.615874
KEYWORDS: Light emitting diodes, Lamps, Light sources, Optical spheres, Thermodynamics, Photography, Ray tracing, Ceramics, Optical design, Visualization

SPIE Journal Paper | 1 July 2004
OE, Vol. 43, Issue 07, (July 2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.10.1117/1.1753273
KEYWORDS: Light emitting diodes, Light sources, Lamps, Light, Manufacturing, Optical engineering, Luminous efficiency, Quantum efficiency, Eye, Visualization

Proceedings Article | 12 November 2003 Paper
Proceedings Volume 5186, (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.505918
KEYWORDS: Mirrors, Light, 3D acquisition, Optical design, Light sources, Light sources and illumination, Optical components, Fluctuations and noise, Visualization, Lamps

Proceedings Article | 12 November 2003 Paper
Proceedings Volume 5186, (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.509669
KEYWORDS: Light emitting diodes, Lamps, Light sources, Light, Blue light emitting diodes, Solids, Quality measurement, Silver, Luminous efficiency, Visible radiation

Proceedings Article | 12 November 2003 Paper
Proceedings Volume 5186, (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.508383
KEYWORDS: Light sources and illumination, Light sources, Mirrors, Visualization, Lamps, Light, Aluminum, Reflectors, Optical design, 3D acquisition

Proceedings Article | 10 December 2001 Paper
Proceedings Volume 4442, (2001) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.449957
KEYWORDS: Ray tracing, Wavefronts, Numerical analysis, Visualization, Lenses, Partial differential equations, Optical design, Monte Carlo methods, Differential equations, Lens design

Proceedings Article | 6 October 1999 Paper
Proceedings Volume 3781, (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.368244
KEYWORDS: Reflectors, Geometrical optics, Reflectivity, Eye, Optical properties, Solar concentrators, Imaging systems, 3D acquisition, Optical components, Nonimaging optics

Proceedings Article | 6 October 1999 Paper
Proceedings Volume 3781, (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.368243
KEYWORDS: Reflectors, Solar concentrators, Reflector design, Chemical elements, Solids, Differential equations, Nonimaging optics, Reflectivity, Vacuum tubes, Light sources

Proceedings Article | 3 October 1997 Paper
Wolfgang Spirkl, Andreas Timinger, Harald Ries, Abraham Kribus, Julius Muschaweck
Proceedings Volume 3139, (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.279221
KEYWORDS: Reflectors, Solar concentrators, Compound parabolic concentrators, Sun, Ray tracing, Solar energy, Thermodynamics, Receivers, Indium, Nonimaging optics

Showing 5 of 27 publications
Proceedings Volume Editor (2)

SPIE Conference Volume | 11 December 2017

SPIE Conference Volume | 20 January 2015

Conference Committee Involvement (13)
Optical Design and Testing XV
12 October 2025 | Beijing, China
Nonimaging Optics: Efficient Design for Illumination and Concentration XX
3 August 2025 | San Diego, California, United States
Optical Design and Testing XIV
13 October 2024 | Nantong, Jiangsu, China
Illumination Optics VII
8 April 2024 | Strasbourg, France
Optical Design and Testing XIII
14 October 2023 | Beijing, China
Optical Design and Testing XII
5 December 2022 | Online Only, China
Illumination Optics VI
13 September 2021 | Online Only, Spain
Illumination Optics V
14 May 2018 | Frankfurt, Germany
International Optical Design Conference 2017
9 July 2017 | Denver, United States
Illumination Optics IV
7 September 2015 | Jena, Germany
International Optical Design Conference 2014
22 June 2014 | Kohala Coast, Hawaii, United States
Illumination Optics III
26 November 2012 | Barcelona, Spain
Illumination Optics II
7 September 2011 | Marseille, France
Showing 5 of 13 Conference Committees
Course Instructor
SC1313: Designing Illumination Optics
This course first explains the deep, beautiful, and immensely useful theory of light for illumination: the theory that lets us see what can or cannot be done in illumination optics, and that guides us towards viable solutions. Ètendue, the most mysterious quantity in illumination optics is fully explained and revealed as the most important quantity in illumination optics. Then, the course introduces “design patterns” in illumination optics: optical elements as building blocks, providing reusable solution approaches to recurring problems. These building blocks (e.g., TIR lenses, mixing rods and Köhler illumination) are explained by what they do to the light, and how to combine them. Practical examples as well as exercises with solutions for later self-study are an integral part of the course.
SC1314: Colorimetry for LED Users
This course first introduces basic concepts of colorimetry, human color vision, the common CIE color spaces, color difference metrics and color rendering metrics. Additive color mixing is what happens when two or more LEDs are combined in a single source. Fortunately, there is an easy to grasp, intuitive visualization of additive color mixing in the common CIE 1931 XYZ color space. Building on this colorimetric foundation, the three major LED families are introduced: InGaN blue-green, InGaAlP yellow-red, and InGaN-plus-phosphor white. The spectral and electrical properties of all three LED families vary from LED to LED, and even for a single LED, with temperature and current. The course shows how these variations can be modeled, for arbitrary operating conditions, from data sheet information only. Finally, the circle back to colorimetry is closed by using some examples to show how to quantitatively compute the colorimetric effects of these LED variations. Throughout the course, practical examples of colorimetric computations and LED modeling are presented, using the instructor’s open source, public domain Matlab® spectrum library.
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