Journal Article

Efficient Design of a Terahertz Metamaterial Dual-Band Absorber Using Multi-Objective Firefly Algorithm Based on a Multi-Cooperative Strategy

Huang, Yan, Deng, Hu, Li, Guilin, Shang, Liping, Qu, Weiwei, Wang, Yurong

2025

Overview

Terahertz metamaterial dual-band absorbers are used for multi-target detection and high-sensitivity sensing in complex environments by enhancing information that reflects differences in the measured substances. Traditional design processes are complex and time-consuming. Machine learning-based methods, such as neural networks and deep learning, require a large number of simulations to gather training samples. Existing design methods based on single-objective optimization often result in uneven multi-objective optimization, which restricts practical applications. In this study, we developed a metamaterial absorber featuring a circular split-ring resonator with four gaps nested in a “卍” structure and used the Multi-Objective Firefly Algorithm based on Multiple Cooperative Strategies to achieve fast optimization of the absorber’s structural parameters. A comparison revealed that our approach requires fewer iterations than the Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization and reduces design time by nearly half. The absorber designed using this method exhibited two resonant peaks at 0.607 THz and 0.936 THz, with absorptivity exceeding 99%, indicating near-perfect absorption and quality factors of 31.42 and 30.08, respectively. Additionally, we validated the absorber’s wave-absorbing mechanism by applying impedance-matching theory. Finally, we elucidated the resonance-peak formation mechanism of the absorber based on the surface current and electric-field distribution at the resonance frequencies. These results confirmed that the proposed dual-band metamaterial absorber design is efficient, representing a significant step toward the development of metamaterial devices.

• Publisher: MDPI AG
• Subject: Absorbers / Absorption / Absorptivity / Algorithms / Analysis / Copper / Deep learning / Design / Design optimization / dual-band / Efficiency / Electric fields / firefly algorithm / Genetic algorithms / Heuristic methods / Impedance matching / Machine learning / Mathematical optimization / metamaterial absorber / Metamaterials / Methods / multi-objective optimization / Multiple objective analysis / multiply cooperative strategies / Neural networks / Optimization / Particle swarm optimization / Resonance / Target detection / Technology application / Terahertz frequencies