Solver-in-the-loop joint operator learning: Fractional Laplace-Beltrami features for interface reconstruction

In this work, we propose a joint operator learning method for reconstructing images of conductivity coefficients from boundary data. Inspired by the idea of employing partial differential equation (PDE) solvers as preconditioners for this inverse problem, we investigate a "solver-in-the-loop" training mechanism. It allows the interaction of learnable parameters integrated in a PDE solver module and those in neural networks for reconstructing images. Specifically, we employ a fractional Laplace-Beltrami operator with a learnable fractional order, which transforms boundary data into high-dimensional features. These features then serve as input to a neural network, significantly improving reconstruction accuracy. For this purpose, a Learning-Automated FEM (LA-FEM) package, facilitating this "solver-in-the-loop" property, is developed with PyTorch as a backend. The new LA-FEM module conveniently allows the auto-differentiation regarding an objective function to freely propagate through the PDE solver from the forward problem and the coupled neural networks for the inverse problem.