Topology optimization of photonic band gap crystals

This paper proposes a new topology optimization algorithm based on the bi-directional evolutionary structural optimization (BESO) method for the design of photonic band gap crystals. The photonic crystals are assumed to be periodically composed of two given dielectric materials. Based on the finite element analysis, the proposed BESO algorithm gradually re-distributes dielectric materials within the unit cell until the resulting photonic crystals possess a maximal band gap at the desirable frequency level. Numerical examples for both transverse magnetic (TM) and transverse electric (TE) polarizations are presented, and the optimized photonic crystals exhibit novel patterns markedly different from traditional designs of photonic crystals.