Knowledge-based response correction and adaptive design specifications for microwave design optimization

Abstract

Simulation-based optimization has become an important design tool in microwave engineering. Yet, employing electromagnetic (EM) solvers in the design process is a challenging task, primarily due to a high-computational cost of an accurate EM simulation. This paper is focused on efficient EM-driven design optimization techniques that utilize physically-based low-fidelity models, normally based on coarse-discretization EM simulations. The presented methods attempt to exploit as much of the knowledge about the system or device of interest embedded in the low-fidelity model as possible, so as to reduce the computational cost of the design process. Unlike many other surrogate-based approaches, the techniques discussed here are non-parametric ones, i.e., they are not based on analytical formulas. The paper presents several specific methods, including those based on correcting the low-fidelity model response (adaptive response correction and shape-preserving response prediction), as well as on suitable modification of the design specifications. Formulations, application examples and the discussion of advantages and disadvantages of these techniques are also included.