McXtrace is a Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulator for X-ray instruments and experiments. It is designed for modelling the transport of X-rays through beamline components, samples and detectors.
Synchrotron and laboratory X-ray experiments often depend on intricate optical arrangements. The performance of a beamline may be affected by source characteristics, apertures, reflective elements, monochromators and the geometry of the sample environment.
McXtrace allows researchers to construct a virtual instrument and investigate how photons propagate through its components. This helps scientists design new beamlines, optimise experimental configurations and predict the properties of radiation reaching a detector.
The software uses high-level textual descriptions of instruments. These definitions are translated into executable simulation code, making it possible to explore both standard experimental arrangements and unusual configurations.
McXtrace shares development infrastructure with McStas, the corresponding neutron ray-tracing simulator. This common architecture supports reusable components, familiar simulation workflows and numerical analysis tools.
Researchers can use McXtrace for experiment planning, instrument performance studies, educational demonstrations and the interpretation of experimental measurements.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Monte Carlo ray tracing for X-ray beamlines and experiments.
- High-level textual descriptions of instrument configurations.
- Automatic generation of executable simulation programs.
- Libraries of reusable X-ray instrument components.
- Representation of X-ray sources, optical elements and detectors.
- Modelling of photon propagation and component interactions.
- Parameter studies for optimising instrument configurations.
- Virtual experiments for planning and instrument evaluation.
- Simulation monitors for recording photon and beam properties.
- Histogram output and scientific data analysis tools.
- NeXus and HDF5 data output.
- Instrument geometry and ray-trajectory visualisation.
- Graphical and command-line simulation interfaces.
- Parallel execution for larger simulation workloads.
- Cross-platform support – runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Website: www.mcxtrace.org
Support:
Developer: Technical University of Denmark and Synchrotron SOLEIL, with contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
McXtrace is written in C and Fortran. Learn C with our recommended free books and free tutorials. Learn Fortran with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Ray Tracing Software | |
|---|---|
| POV-Ray | Full-featured ray tracer |
| Blender | 3D content creation suite with a huge range of uses |
| McXtrace | Monte Carlo Xray Tracing for simulation X-ray beamlines and experiments |
| McStas | Simulator for neutron scattering instruments and experiments |
| Embree | High-performance ray tracing library |
| LuxCoreRender | Rendering system for physically correct image synthesis |
| pbrt | Physically based ray tracing system |
| OSPRay | Scalable and portable ray tracing engine |
| BRL-CAD | Combinatorial Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG) solid modeling system |
| Visionaray | C++ ray tracing template library |
| MantaRay | Advanced renderer using modern rendering techniques |
| YafaRay | Montecarlo raytracing engine |
| Tachyon | Parallel / multiprocessor ray tracing system |
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