ANN-based estimation of dispersion characteristics of slotted photonic crystal waveguides

In this paper, the dispersion characteristics of slotted photonic crystal waveguides (SPCWs) have been estimated for any arbitrary set of structural parameters using machine learning-based artificial neural network (ANN). The machine learning-based technique yields faster solutions of the three-dimensional eigenvalue equations, which otherwise require substantial time using the conventional plane wave expansion (PWE)-based numerical simulations. Most importantly, the novel contribution of the work lies in estimating the structural parameters of the SPCWs from the given specifications of the dispersion characteristics through an inverse computation. A simple feed-forward neural network has been employed for both the forward and inverse estimations. The computation performances using both the ANN model and PWE simulations are analyzed and compared. The research offers significant implications for the field of photonics. By employing machine learning techniques, particularly ANNs, researchers and engineers can swiftly and efficiently analyze the dispersion properties of SPCWs, facilitating rapid prototyping and optimization of photonic devices. Additionally, the capability to infer structural parameters from desired dispersion characteristics streamlines the design process, potentially leading to the development of customized waveguides tailored to specific applications.