Updating eps plotting to make background medium transparent and optio…

tidy3d/components/data.py

@@ -918,8 +918,10 @@ def plot_field_array(
 
         if val == "abs":
             cmap = "magma"
+            eps_reverse = False
         else:
             cmap = "RdBu"
+            eps_reverse = True
 
         # plot the field
         xy_coord_labels = list("xyz")
@@ -929,7 +931,13 @@ def plot_field_array(
 
         # plot the simulation epsilon
         ax = self.simulation.plot_structures_eps(
-            freq=freq, cbar=False, alpha=eps_alpha, ax=ax, **{axis_label: position}, **patch_kwargs
+            freq=freq,
+            cbar=False,
+            alpha=eps_alpha,
+            reverse=eps_reverse,
+            ax=ax,
+            **{axis_label: position},
+            **patch_kwargs,
         )
 
         # set the limits based on the xarray coordinates min and max

tidy3d/components/simulation.py

@@ -652,8 +652,7 @@ def plot_structures(
             params_updater = StructMediumParams(medium=medium, medium_map=medium_map)
             kwargs_struct = params_updater.update_params(**kwargs)
             if medium == self.medium:
-                kwargs_struct["edgecolor"] = "white"
-                kwargs_struct["facecolor"] = "white"
+                continue
             patch = PolygonPatch(shape, **kwargs_struct)
             ax.add_artist(patch)
         ax = self._set_plot_bounds(ax=ax, x=x, y=y, z=z)
@@ -683,6 +682,7 @@ def plot_structures_eps(  # pylint: disable=too-many-arguments,too-many-locals
         z: float = None,
         freq: float = None,
         cbar: bool = True,
+        reverse: bool = True,
         ax: Ax = None,
         **kwargs,
     ) -> Ax:
@@ -701,6 +701,8 @@ def plot_structures_eps(  # pylint: disable=too-many-arguments,too-many-locals
         freq : float = None
             Frequency to evaluate the relative permittivity of all mediums.
             If not specified, evaluates at infinite frequency.
+        reverse : bool = True
+            If ``True``, the highest permittivity is plotted in black; if ``False``: white.
         ax : matplotlib.axes._subplots.Axes = None
             Matplotlib axes to plot on, if not specified, one is created.
         **kwargs
@@ -725,10 +727,12 @@ def plot_structures_eps(  # pylint: disable=too-many-arguments,too-many-locals
         medium_shapes = self._filter_structures_plane(self.structures, x=x, y=y, z=z)
         for (medium, shape) in medium_shapes:
             eps = medium.eps_model(freq).real
-            params_updater = StructEpsParams(eps=eps, eps_min=eps_min, eps_max=eps_max)
+            params_updater = StructEpsParams(
+                eps=eps, eps_min=eps_min, eps_max=eps_max, reverse=reverse
+            )
             kwargs_struct = params_updater.update_params(**kwargs)
             if medium == self.medium:
-                kwargs_struct["edgecolor"] = "white"
+                continue
             patch = PolygonPatch(shape, **kwargs_struct)
             ax.add_artist(patch)
         if cbar:
@@ -1043,8 +1047,6 @@ def _filter_structures_plane(
             # loop through background_shapes (note: all background are non-intersecting or merged)
             for index, (_medium, _shape) in enumerate(background_shapes):
 
-                _shape = Box.evaluate_inf_shape(_shape)
-
                 # if not intersection, move onto next background shape
                 if not shape & _shape:
                     continue

tidy3d/components/viz.py

@@ -168,14 +168,16 @@ class StructEpsParams(PatchParamSwitcher):
     eps: float
     eps_max: float
     eps_min: float
+    reverse: bool = True
 
     def get_plot_params(self) -> PatchParams:
         """Returns :class:`PatchParams` based on user-supplied args."""
         eps_min = min(self.eps_min, 1)
         delta_eps = self.eps - eps_min
         delta_eps_max = self.eps_max - eps_min + 1e-5
-        eps_fraction = delta_eps / delta_eps_max
-        color = 1 - eps_fraction
+        color = delta_eps / delta_eps_max
+        if self.reverse:
+            color = 1 - color
         if self.eps == pec_val:
             return PatchParams(facecolor="gold", edgecolor="k", lw=1)
         return PatchParams(facecolor=str(color), edgecolor=str(color), lw=0)