Inverse design of broadband soft matter optical filters

Inverse design method – topology optimization – is used to design broadband soft matter optical filters with different transmission spectra. The broadband filters are optimized for different wavelength ranges and can function either as standalone photonic devices or as components integrated into waveguides. The structure of the optical filters is modeled as layers of continuously varying refractive index characteristic of soft matter and as birefringent soft matter materials – specifically liquid crystals – where the orientation of the optical axis varies along the optical filter length. The results demonstrate that the proposed setup based on liquid crystals is a viable method for realizing optical broadband filters with highly different transmission spectra.