Fast Optimization of Electromagnetic Design Problems Using the Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolutionary Strategy

• Published in: IEEE transactions on antennas and propagation Vol. 59; no. 4; pp. 1275 - 1285
• Main Authors: Gregory, M D, Bayraktar, Z, Werner, D H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.04.2011; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Adaptation; Algorithm design and analysis; Algorithms; Antennas; Applied classical electromagnetism; Applied sciences; Arrays; Communities; Covariance matrix; Covariance matrix adaptation; Electromagnetic wave propagation, radiowave propagation; Electromagnetics; Electromagnetism; electron and ion optics; Evolutionary; evolutionary strategy; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); microstrip antennas; Optimization; optimization algorithm; particle swarm optimization; Physics; Radiocommunications; self-adaptive; stacked patch antenna; Strategy; Studies; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; Ultrawideband; Performance evaluation; Electromagnetism; Covariance matrix adaptation; Evolutionary computation; Printed antenna; self-adaptive; optimization algorithm; microstrip antennas; Broadband antennas; Covariance matrices; Particle swarm optimization; Ultra wide band; Constant modulus algorithm; evolutionary strategy; stacked patch antenna; Reviews; Biomimetics; Antenna array
• ISSN: 0018-926X; 1558-2221
• DOI: 10.1109/TAP.2011.2109350

A new method of optimization recently made popular in the evolutionary computation (EC) community is introduced and applied to several electromagnetics design problems. First, a functional overview of the covariance matrix adaptation evolutionary strategy (CMA-ES) is provided. Then, CMA-ES is critiqued alongside a conventional particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm via the design of a wideband stacked-patch antenna. Finally, the two algorithms are employed for the design of small to moderate size aperiodic ultrawideband antenna array layouts (up to 100 elements). The results of the two electromagnetics design problems illustrate the ability of CMA-ES to provide a robust, fast and user-friendly alternative to more conventional optimization strategies such as PSO. Moreover, the ultrawideband array designs that were created using CMA-ES are seen to exhibit performances surpassing the best examples that have been reported in recent literature.