Predictive modeling of MXene-based solar absorbers using a deep neural network

Nanophotonic structures, such as photonic crystals, plasmonic nanostructures, and metamaterials, present transformative potential in advancing optical devices through innovative design capabilities. Among these, metamaterials—specifically metal–insulator–metal (MIM)-based absorbers—stand out for their ability to achieve high electromagnetic wave absorption across designated frequencies, proving valuable in applications ranging from solar cells to sensors. This study focuses on designing a high-efficiency MXene–SiO 2 –silver MIM metasurface absorber, leveraging deep learning techniques to streamline and enhance the simulation process traditionally reliant on finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) or finite-element methods (FEMs). By utilizing a deformable convolutional neural network (CNN), the proposed model predicts absorption spectra from metasurface geometries with superior accuracy and reduced computational demand while achieving dynamic spatial transformation handling. The model’s accuracy is further elucidated through Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM), which provides insights into the absorber’s most influential regions, supporting targeted optimization for specific applications. This deep learning approach demonstrates significant advantages over conventional methods in efficiency and adaptability, advancing the development of high-performance nanophotonic devices.