Efficient sensitivity analysis approach based on finite element solutions of photonic structures

Abstract We propose, for the first time, an efficient technique for the sensitivity analysis of photonic waveguide structures with arbitrary shapes. Those waveguides are analyzed using the Finite Element Method (FEM). Our technique uses the solution obtained by any FEM solver and without the need of performing any extra FEM simulation, it gives accurate results for the sensitivity of the modal parameters with respect to all the design parameters. This technique is far more efficient than the traditional numerical estimates of the sensitivities.