Design of metaporous supercells by genetic algorithm for absorption optimization on a wide frequency band

The optimization of acoustic absorption by metaporous materials made of complex unit cells with 2D resonant inclusions is realized using genetic algorithm. A nearly total absorption over a wide frequency band can be obtained for thin structures, even for frequencies below the quarter wavelength resonances i.e., in a sub-wavelength regime. The high absorption performances of this material are due to the interplay of usual visco-thermal losses, local resonances and trapped modes. The density of resonant and trapped modes in this dissipative porous layer, is a key parameter for broadband absorption. The best configurations and critical coupling conditions are found by genetic algorithm optimization. Several types of resonators are included gradually in the studied configurations (split-rings, Helmholtz resonators, back cavities) with increasing complexity. The optimization leads to a metaporous structure with a 2-cm sub-wavelength layer thickness, exhibiting a nearly total absorption between 1800 Hz and 7000 Hz. The influence of the incidence angle on the absorption properties is also shown.