Solving the 2D Maxwell equations by a Laguerre spectral method

A spectral method for solving the 2D Maxwell equations with relaxation of electromagnetic parameters is presented. The method is based on an expansion of the solution in terms of Laguerre functions in time. The operation of convolution of functions, which is part of the formulas describing the relaxation processes, is reduced to a sum of products of the harmonics. The Maxwell equations transform to a system of linear algebraic equations for the solution harmonics. In the algorithm, an inner parameter of the Laguerre transformis used. With large values of this parameter, the solution is shifted to high harmonics. This is done to simplify the numerical algorithm and to increase the efficiency of the problem solution. Results of a comparison of the Laguerre method and a finite-difference method in accuracy both for a 2D medium structure and a layered medium are given. Results of a comparison of the spectral and finite-difference methods in efficiency for axial and plane geometries of the problem are presented.