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Explainable AI for inverse-design of optical network on chip routers

  • Jotiram K. Deshmukh , Kantilal Pitambar Rane EMAIL logo , Milind P. Gajare and Monali Chaudhari
Published/Copyright: October 21, 2025
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Abstract

Inverse design uses advanced AI capabilities to autonomously create the best geometries and configurations for an optical network-on-chip router. Here, we use reinforcement learning to facilitate the design process, where the system learns over time what architectures best suit the target criteria (latency, signal loss, area, throughput) to achieve the best functioning router. However, while reinforcement learning is an effective means of achieving desired output, the reinforcement learning created is often complex and non-interpretable for human engineers. Therefore, we use explainable artificial intelligence methods to make the final interpretations more interpretable and justifiable. Explainable artificial intelligence helps to explain why each move was made during the design process. Thus, reinforcement learning-inverse-designed optical network-on-chip routers will perform better under desired metrics with explainable artificial intelligence providing human designers a level of explainability and justification for human trust and verification for artificial intelligence generated things.


Corresponding author: Kantilal Pitambar Rane, Department of Electronics and Telecommunication, Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Engineering, Navi Mumbai, India, E-mail:

  1. Research ethics: Not applicable.

  2. Informed consent: Not applicable.

  3. Author contributions: The authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.

  4. Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.

  5. Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest.

  6. Research funding: None declared.

  7. Data availability: Not applicable.

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Received: 2025-09-06
Accepted: 2025-10-06
Published Online: 2025-10-21

© 2025 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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