Plot Types

The following table lists the available plot types and their attributes, including links to the description of the properties and settings. Table 21-12 below it lists the plot attributes: subnodes that you can add to certain plot types to modify or enhance the plot.

Table 21-11: Plot Types.
Name and Link	Description	Plot Attributes
Admittance Graph	Plot an admittance graph as a Smith plot. This plot requires the RF Module, AC/DC Module, MEMS Module, or Plasma Module.	Color Expression, Filter
Annotation	Add annotations to plots.	Deformation, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Annotation Data	Plot raw point, text, and color data as annotations in 2D or 3D. Only available through the COMSOL Multiphysics API.	Transparency
Arrow Data	Plot raw point, vector, and color data as arrows in 2D or 3D. Only available through the COMSOL Multiphysics API.	Material Appearance, Transparency (3D Only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Arrow Line	Plot a vector quantity as arrows on lines or edges (3D).	Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Arrow Point	Plot a vector quantity as arrows at points.	Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Arrow Surface	Visualize a vector quantity in arrows.	Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Arrow Volume	Visualize a vector quantity as arrows in a volume.	Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Translation, Transparency, Visual Effects
Contour (Plot)	Visualize a scalar quantity as a contour plot.	Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Selection, Height Expression (2D only), Translation, Transparency (3D and 2D with Height Expression only), Visual Effects (3D and 2D with Height Expression only)
Contour Series	Visualize a varying quantity (over time, for example) as a series of contour plots.	Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Height Expression (2D only), Translation, Transparency (3D and 2D with Height Expression only), Visual Effects (3D and 2D with Height Expression only)
Coordinate System Volume, Coordinate System Surface, Coordinate System Line, and Coordinate System Point	Plot coordinate systems for 2D and 3D models. Found on the More Volume Plots, More Surface Plots, More Line Plots, and More Point Plots submenus, respectively.	Deformation, Filter, Selection, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Directivity	Plot the directivity as a plot for speakers, for example. This plot requires the Acoustics Module.	None
Function	Plot a function as a graph plot (1D), surface plot (2D), or slice plot (3D).	Filter (2D and 3D only), Height Expression (2D only), Transparency (2D with Height Expression and 3D only), Visual Effects (2D with Height Expression and 3D only), Error Bars (1D only)
Global	Plot a global scalar quantity as a function of time or a parameter.	Color Expression, Comparison, Filter, Graph Marker, Error Bars
Histogram	Plot a histogram showing the distribution of a quantity.	Filter, Height Expression (2D only), Transparency (with Height Expression only), Visual Effects (with Height Expression only)
Image	Plot an image on the surface of a 2D or 3D geometry.	Deformation, Material Appearance, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Impedance Graph	Plot an impedance graph as a Smith plot. This plot requires the RF Module, AC/DC Module, MEMS Module, or Plasma Module.	Color Expression, Filter
Impulse Response	Plot an impulse response plot. This plot requires the Acoustics Module.	Color Expression, Energy Decay
Interference Pattern	This plot shows the intensity on a cut plane resulting from the interference of multiple rays passing through the cut plane.	None
Isosurface (Plot)	Plot a scalar quantity as an isosurface plot.	Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Translation, Transparency, Visual Effects
Joint Probability Distribution	Plot joint probability distributions.	None
Layered Material Slice	Plot a layered material quantity as a slice plot at a specified through-thickness location. This plot requires the AC/DC Module, Composite Materials Module, Heat Transfer Module, or Structural Mechanics Module.	Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Line	Plot a quantity on lines — that is, boundaries in 2D or edges in 3D.	Deformation, Filter, Selection, Marker, Material Appearance, Height Expression (2D only), Translation, Transparency (3D and 2D with Height Expression only), Visual Effects (3D and 2D with Height Expression only)
Line Data	Plot raw point, element, and color data as a line in 2D or 3D. Only available through the COMSOL Multiphysics API	Material Appearance, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Line Graph	Plot a scalar quantity along a geometric line. The line can be an edge in the geometry, a parameterized curve, or a cut line.	Color Expression, Comparison, Filter, Graph Marker
Line Segments	Add line segments to 1D plots.	None
Matrix Histogram	Plot a precomputed matrix as a 2D histogram. For rainflow counting, for example, to be able to visualize how the stress amplitudes and mean stresses are distributed. This plot requires the Fatigue Module.	Filter, Height Expression, Transparency (with Height Expression only), Visual Effects (with Height Expression only)
Max/Min Volume, Max/Min Surface, Max/Min Line, Max/Min Point	Plot the maximum and minimum of an expression and the points where they are attained within the geometry. Found on the More Volume Plots, More Surface Plots, More Line Plots, and More Point Plots submenus, respectively.	Deformation, Filter, Selection, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Mesh (Plot)	To display a mesh.	Deformation, Filter, Selection, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Multislice	Display a scalar quantity on slices in multiple directions inside a 3D domain. Found on the More Surface Plots submenu.	Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Translation, Transparency, Visual Effects
Nyquist	Display a Nyquist plot, which shows the magnitude and phase of a frequency response.	Color Expression, Filter
Octave Band	Display an octave band plot to represent a frequency response in frequency bands.	Graph Marker
Optical Aberration	Display a linear combination of Zernike polynomials based on the optical path difference of light rays as they are focused by a system of lenses and mirrors. This plot requires the Ray Optics Module.	Height Expression, Transparency (with Height Expression only), Visual Effects (with Height Expression only)
Particle (Plot)	Plot a particle variable versus time for all particles, or plot one particle property versus another at a set of time steps. Available with 1D Plot Groups. This plot requires the Particle Tracing Module.	Color Expression, Filter
Particle Tracing	Visualize the trajectory of a massless particle subject to a flow field. Found on the More Point Plots submenu.	Color Expression, Deformation, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Particle Tracing with Mass	Make a particle tracing plot considering the particle’s mass. Found on the More Point Plots submenu.	Color Expression, Deformation, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Particle Trajectories and Filter for Particle Trajectories	Visualize the trajectories of particles computed by one of the Particle Tracing physics interfaces. This plot requires the Particle Tracing Module.	Color Expression, Deformation, Export Expressions, Filter, Material Appearance, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Pellets	Visualize pellets as spheres or slices in 3D.	Deformation, Translation, Transparency, Visual Effects
Phase Portrait	Visualize particle traces using a phase portrait in 2D. Found under the More Surface Plots submenu. This plot requires the Particle Tracing Module.	Color Expression, Material Appearance
Poincaré Map	Visualize particle traces as a Poincaré map in 2D, 2D axial symmetry, and 3D. Found on the More Surface Plots or More Volume Plots (3D) submenu. This plot requires the Particle Tracing Module.	Color Expression, Material Appearance, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Point	Plot points in 2D and 3D.	Deformation, Export Expressions, Filter, Selection, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Point Data	Plot raw point, element, and color data as points in 2D or 3D. Only available through the COMSOL Multiphysics API.	Material Appearance, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Point Graph	Visualize the value in a point along time or a parameter value. The point can be a point in the geometry or a cut point.	Color Expression, Comparison, Error Bars, Filter, Graph Marker
Point Trajectories and Filter for Point Trajectories	Visualize the trajectories of points in 3D. Found on the More Point Plots submenu.	Color Expression, Deformation, Export Expressions, Filter, Material Appearance, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Polarization	Plot the polarization state for diffraction orders, simulated for periodic structures.	Color Expression
Principal Stress Volume	Plot principal stress and strain in structural mechanics models. Found on the More Volume Plots submenu.	Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Principal Stress Surface	Plot principal stress and strain in structural mechanics models. Found on the More Surface Plots submenu.	Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Principal Stress Line	Plot principal stress and strain in structural mechanics models. Found on the More Line Plots submenu.	Color Expression, Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Radiation Pattern	Plot the value of a global variable for the radiation pattern of an electromagnetic or acoustic pressure field, for example.	Deformation, Export Expressions, Graph Marker (1D only), Material Appearance, Translation (2D and 3D only), Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Ray (Plot) and Filter for Ray and Ray Trajectories	Plot a ray variable versus time for all rays, or plot one ray property versus another at a set of time steps. Available with 1D Plot Groups. This plot requires the Ray Optics Module or the Acoustics Module.	Color Expression and Filter
Ray Trajectories and Filter for Ray and Ray Trajectories	Visualize the trajectories of rays computed by the Geometrical Optics interface or Ray Acoustics interface. This plot requires the Ray Optics Module or the Acoustics Module.	Color Expression, Deformation, Export Expressions, Filter, Material Appearance, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Reflection Graph	Plot a reflection graph as a Smith plot. This plot requires the RF Module, AC/DC Module, MEMS Module, or Plasma Module.	Color Expression, Filter
Scatter Surface Scatter Surface and Scatter Volume	Scatter surface plots, found on the More Volume Plots (3D) and More Surface Plots (3D) submenus, visualize a scalar quantity as scattered spheres or disks. The radius of the spheres can be proportional to the value of a quantity.	Material Appearance
Scatter Volume Scatter Surface and Scatter Volume	Scatter volume plots can be used as alternatives to arrow plots for scalar quantities or when to get a feeling for how entities correlate.	Material Appearance, Transparency, Visual Effects
Slice	Display a scalar quantity on slices inside a 3D domain.	Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Translation, Transparency, Visual Effects
Sobol Index	Plot Sobol indices. This plot requires the Uncertainty Quantification Module.	None
Spot Diagram	Display the positions of rays as they intersect an image plane. This plot includes some capability to automatically identify the image plane and compute the intersection points of rays that cross it.	Color Expression
Streamline	Plot a vector field as a streamline plot.	Color Expression, Deformation, Export Expressions, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Translation, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Streamline Multislice	Plot a vector field as a streamline plot on surfaces in 3D.	Color Expression, Deformation, Export Expressions, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Translation, Transparency, Visual Effects
Streamline Surface	Plot a vector field as a streamline plot on surfaces in 3D.	Color Expression, Deformation, Export Expressions, Filter, Material Appearance, Translation, Transparency, Visual Effects
Surface (Plot)	Display a quantity on a 2D domain or a 3D boundary.	Deformation, Filter, Height Expression (2D plots only), Image, Marker, Material Appearance, Selection, Translation, Transparency (3D and 2D with Height Expression only), Visual Effects (3D and 2D with Height Expression only)
Surface Data	Plot raw point, element, and color data as a surface in 2D or 3D. Only available through the COMSOL Multiphysics API.	Material Appearance, Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Surface Slit	Display a quantity by evaluating one expression on one side and another expression on the other side on a 3D boundary.	Deformation, Filter, Material Appearance, Selection, Translation, Transparency, Visual Effects
Table Annotation	Add annotations from a table to a plot.	Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Table Contour	Plot contours based on values from a table.	Height Expression, Material Appearance, Transparency (with Height Expression only), Visual Effects (with Height Expression only)
Table Graph and Filter for Table Graph	Table plots display data from a table with one line per output column.	Error Bars, Filter, Graph Marker
Table Histogram	Plot a histogram showing the distribution of a quantity from a table or evaluation group.	Height Expression (2D only), Transparency (with Height Expression only), Visual Effects (with Height Expression only)
Table Point	Plot points in a table in a 2D plot.	None
Table Surface	Used with 2D plot groups to visualize the data in a table that represents a matrix of values that are functions of two independent parameters.	Height Expression, Material Appearance, Transparency (with Height Expression only), Visual Effects (with Height Expression only)
Through Thickness	Display the through-thickness variation of a layered shell quantity at specified points. This plot requires the AC/DC Module, Composite Materials Module, Heat Transfer Module, or Structural Mechanics Module.	Color Expression, Filter
Tube Data	Plot raw point, element, and color data as a tube in 2D or 3D. Only available through the COMSOL Multiphysics API.	Transparency (3D only), Visual Effects (3D only)
Volume	To display a quantity inside a 3D domain.	Deformation, Filter, Image, Marker, Material Appearance, Selection, Translation, Transparency, Visual Effects
Waterfall	Create a waterfall diagram, which is a plot that can illustrate how an expression depends on two parameters in a sweep. Found on the More Point Plots submenu,	Color Expression, Material Appearance, Transparency, Visual Effects
Whirl	Display a plot of the mode shapes of a rotor rotated about the rotor axis at discrete rotation intervals. This plot type, found on the More Line Plots submenu, requires the Rotordynamics Module.	Color Expression, Material Appearance, Transparency, Visual Effects
Cross Section Plots
*1D, 2D, and 3D Cross-Section Point Plots	A point cross-section plot makes it easy to view an expression at an arbitrary set of spatial coordinates and results in a line plot.
*2D Cross-Section Line Plots and 3D Cross-Section Line Plots	Create lines through 2D and 3D geometries to visualize along the line. Also explains how to use the interactive cross-section toolbar buttons.
*3D Cross-Section Surface Plot	Create planes through a 3D model in a 2D geometry to visualize on the plane. The cut plane corresponds to an orthogonal 2D coordinate system embedded in 3D. Also explains how to use the interactive cross-section toolbar buttons.
* Cross-section plots are not selected from this menu. Instead, these are created in two steps using datasets and plot groups to generate the plot or use interactive cross-section toolbar buttons.

Table 21-12: Plot Attributes.
Plot Attribute	Description	Add to these plot Types
Color Expression	To add coloring to the shapes defined by a plot.	Arrow (line, surface, and volume), contour, isosurface, particle tracing, particle trajectories, point trajectories, polarization, principal stress, ray, ray trajectories, streamline, streamline multislice, streamline surface, and spot diagram.
Comparison	To make a comparison of a graph plot and a table graph.	1D line graph, point graph, and global plots.
Deformation	Deform the plot according to a vector quantity, for example, the displacement field in structural mechanics.	All 2D and 3D plots except annotation data, arrow data, directivity, function, interference pattern, histogram, matrix histogram, optical aberration, pellets, phase portrait, Poincaré map, scatter, spot diagram, streamline, streamline multislice, streamline surface, table annotation, table graph, table histogram, table histogram, waterfall, and whirl plots.
Energy Decay	Energy decay for impulse response plots.	Impulse response plots.
Error Bars (Global, Point Graph, and Function)	Error bars for point graph and global plots.	1D point graph and global plots.
Error Bars (Table Graph)	Error bars for table graph plots.	1D table graph plots.
Export Expressions	Add expressions for exporting data.	Particle trajectories, point trajectories, radiation pattern, ray trajectories, streamline, streamline multislice, and streamline surface.
Filter, Filter for Particle Trajectories, Filter for Point Trajectories, Filter for Ray and Ray Trajectories, and Filter for Table Graph	Filter the element selection for a plot.	Admittance graph, arrow (line and surface), contour, coordinate system (line and surface), function (2D only), global, histogram. impedance graph, isosurface, line graph, line plot, matrix histogram, mesh, Nyquist, particle trajectories, point graph, point trajectories, principal stress, ray, ray trajectories, reflection graph, slice, streamline, streamline multislice, streamline surface, surface, table graph, and volume.
Graph Marker	Markers such as minimum and maximum markers for graph plots.	1D point graph, global, table graph, radiation pattern, and octave band plots.
Height Expression	Height attributes introduce a 3D height on a 2D surface plot.	2D histogram and matrix histogram, 2D line plot, optical aberration, 2D surface plot, 2D contour and table contour plots, 2D table surface plot, and 2D function plots.
Image (Plot Attribute)	To add an image to a surface or volume,	3D volume plots, and 2D and 3D surface plots.
Marker	Minimum and maximum markers.	3D volume plots, 2D and 3D surface plots, and 2D and 3D line plots.
Material Appearance	Use a material appearance in plots.	3D volume, 2D and 3D surface, 2D and 3D arrow, 2D and 3D contour and 2D table contour, image, isosurface, 2D and 3D layered material slice, 2D and 3D line, multislice, 2D and 3D particle trajectories, phase portrait, 2D and 3D principal stress, Poincaré map, 2D and 3D, 2D and 3D point trajectories, radiation pattern, 2D and 3D ray trajectories, scatter surface, scatter volume, slice, 2D and 3D streamline, streamline multislice, streamline surface, surface data, surface slit, table surface, waterfall, and whirl plots.
Selection (Plot Attribute)	Add a selection of geometric entities for which to show the plot.	Arrow, contour, coordinate system (line, surface, and volume), isosurface, line plot, mesh, multislice, principal stress, slice, streamline, streamline multislice, surface, and volume plots.
Translation	Add a translation to 2D and 3D plots.	All 2D and 3D plots except annotation data, arrow data, directivity, function, interference pattern, histogram, matrix histogram, optical aberration, pellets, phase portrait, Poincaré map, scatter, spot diagram, streamline, streamline multislice, streamline surface, table graph, table histogram, table surface, waterfall, and whirl plots.
Transparency	Add transparency to 3D plots and 2D plots with a Height Expression.	Annotation, arrow, contour, coordinate system, image, isosurface, layered material slice, line, max/min, mesh, multislice, particle tracing, particle trajectories, particle trajectories with mass, pellets, Poincaré map, point, point trajectories, principal stress, radiation pattern, ray trajectories, scatter volume, slice, streamline, streamline multislice, streamline surface, surface, surface slit, table annotation, volume, waterfall, and whirl 3D plots. Also, for contour, contour series, table contour, function, histogram, line, matrix histogram, optical aberration, surface, table histogram, and table surface 2D plots that use a height expression.
Visual Effects	Add visual effects (ambient occlusion and direct shadows) to 3D plots and 2D plots with a Height Expression.	All 3D plots. Also, for contour, contour series, function, histogram, line, matrix histogram, optical aberration, surface, table contour, table histogram, and table surface 2D plots that use a height expression.