title: Parallel microgenetic algorithm design for photonic crystal and waveguide structures.
abstract: We have developed a powerful parallel genetic algorithm design tool for photonic crystal and waveguide structures. The tool employs a small-population-size genetic algorithm (microgenetic algorithm) for global optimization and a two-dimensional finite-difference time-domain method to rigorously design and optimize the performance of photonic devices. We discuss the implementation and performance of this design tool. We demonstrate its application to two photonic devices, a defect taper coupler to connect conventional waveguides and photonic crystal waveguides, and a sharp 90 degrees waveguide bend for low index contrast waveguides.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Integrated Computing and Optoelectronic Systems, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama 35899, USA. jiangj@email.uah.edu
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jingbo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Gregory P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Nordin
authors.forename: Lixia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li