Evolutionary-based Inverse Design of 2D Materials Multilayer structures for Nanophotonic Applications

This research addresses the crucial control of electromagnetic radiation across applications like environmental monitoring, thermal emitting, spectroscopy, and optical communication. A novel nanophotonic multilayer absorber is introduced for mid-infrared (mid-IR) electromagnetic wave absorption, leveraging 2D materials. Traditional design methods involve trial-and-error or predictive models, prompting the adoption of state-of-the-art inverse design. This approach allows efficient exploration of the design space, leading to the discovery of optimal structures. By systematically optimizing the absorber's structure through evolutionary-based inverse design algorithms, with a focus on minimizing layer thickness, the proposed nanosized structure demonstrates exceptional mid-IR light absorption. Comprising alternating layers of graphene, WS₂, and PbSe, it achieves perfect absorption in the 2-5 μm range with a total thickness of about 1 μm. Graphene, renowned for its electrical, optical, and mechanical properties, serves as the primary absorbing material, while WS₂ acts as a transparent dielectric spacer, and PbSe contributes as a proficient mid-IR absorber. The use of inverse design coupled with numerical calculation enables the design of these perfect absorbers for mid-IR applications.