Genetic Algorithm-Assisted Design of Sandwiched One-Dimensional Photonic Crystals for Efficient Fluorescence Enhancement of 3.18-μm-Thick Layer of the Fluorescent Solution

Materials (Basel). 2022 Nov 4;15(21):7803. doi: 10.3390/ma15217803.

Abstract

One-dimensional photonic crystal structures have been widely used to enhance fluorescence. However, its fluorescence enhancement is low-fold because of a weak excitation field region. In this paper, we used a genetic algorithm to assist in the design of two photonic crystals based on Al2O3 and TiO2 materials. One of them has a defect consisting of SiO2. The Fabry-Perot cavity (FP cavity) formed by the sandwiched photonic crystal achieves up to 14-fold enhancement of the excitation electric field. We modulate the electric field radiation distribution of the fluorescent material by using photonic forbidden bands. For a 3.18 μm thick layer of the fluorescent solution, the structure achieves up to 60-fold fluorescence enhancement. We also discussed that the reason for the different enhancement abilities in different places is the phase change caused by the optical path difference. This design is expected to have applications in display, imaging, etc.

Keywords: fluorescence enhancement; genetic algorithm; one-dimensional photonic crystal.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (62175178, 61971300, 61905208); the Central Guidance on Local Science and Technology Development Fund of Shanxi Province (YDZJSX2021A013); and the Program for the Top Young Talents of Shanxi Province; Program for the Sanjin Outstanding Talents of China.