Finite-volume time-domain method for electromagnetic modelling: Strengths, limitations and challenges

Abstract

The attractive features of the Finite-Volume Time-Domain (FVTD) method for the solution of Maxwell’s equations come from the application in unstructured polyhedral meshes combined with an explicit time stepping. This paper reviews current developments of the FVTD method and provides an assessment of its potential as a general-purpose electromagnetic simulation technique. A tutorial on the FVTD algorithm is given first, followed by a discussion of the strengths as well as of the limitations of the method. More generally, the challenges associated with a widespread use of conformal time-domain techniques are described. The addressed points are illustrated by a representative application of the method, which involves the detailed modelling of dielectric resonator antennas (DRAs) in several configurations.