Simulations Using FDTD Method

This chapter provides an overview of the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The FDTD method is a versatile and robust numerical technique. FDTD offers a variety of advantages. The first is its ability to handle complex, multimaterial geometries. The second is a natural treatment of ultra-wideband problems. The third is the ability to handle nonlinearities in materials. The high cost of setting up electromagnetic pulse (EMP) simulators means that fabrication must be preceded by numerical optimization. The general behavior of a simulator is complex due to the existence of a wide-band pulse and complex geometry of the simulator and test object. Several time- and frequency-domain models have been reported for the analysis of EMP simulators. Numerical dispersion errors in the FDTD method result from the inability of numerical waves to propagate at exactly the speed of light in the computational domain and results in phase shifts for different frequency components of the pulse.