Abstract The search for photonic devices with a desired functionality is undergoing a revolution due to the emergence of inverse design, where structures are algorithmically grown in such a way that they extremise one or more desired observables. The field of inverse design is large and rapidly-expanding — here we review recent progress towards one particular goal for which it canbe used, namely design of cavities that are aiming to influence the interaction of cavity fields with microscopic systems (atoms, molecules, quantum dots, etc). We begin with a pedagogical explanation of the mathematical background of inverse design via topology optimisation, detailing gradient-based optimisation, metaheuristics and manufacturing constraints. We then review recent developments in enhanced light-matter interactions via optical cavity optimisation, including planar resonators, photonic crystals and whispering gallery mode resonators, among others. We end with an outlook towards the frontiers of cavity design, including multi-objective design, plasmonics and nuclear quantum optics.
Cisowski et al. (Thu,) studied this question.