Optomechanical crystal cavities are devices based on optomechanical
interactions to manipulate photons and phonons on periodic
subwavelength structures, enabling precise measurement of the force
and displacement. The performance of the target structures varies when
applied to different applications. Optomechanical crystal cavities now
rely on an empirical forward design, which is inefficient. Therefore,
a desired shift is toward directed design with a “problem-oriented”
strategy. The directed optimization problem’s nonconvex nature and
extensive parameter space necessitate substantial computational
resources, driving the need for intelligent algorithms in a
sub-wavelength structure design. Intelligent algorithms can surpass
the constraints of traditional methods and discover novel structures
that are effective in different materials, topologies, modes, and
wavelengths. This paper provides an extensive overview of intelligent
algorithms for guiding the directed design of optomechanical crystal
cavities. It presents a systematic classification of 15 algorithmics,
including, but not limited to, topology algorithms, particle swarm
optimization algorithms, convolutional neural networks, and generative
adversarial networks. The article provides a comprehensive review and
thorough analysis of the principle and current application state, as
well as the advantages and disadvantages of each intelligent
algorithm. By using these intelligent algorithms, researchers can
enhance the efficiency and accuracy of optimizing optomechanical
crystal cavities in a broader design space.