Some Practical Issues in the Treatment of Electromagnetic Boundaries in FDTD-PIC

Summary form only given. Electromagnetic (EM) boundary treatments have been investigated using the Magic 3D particle-in-cell (PIC) code. Various modeling treatments of surface loss mechanisms and free space absorbing boundary conditions have been undertaken. For example, finite-conducting cavity walls leading to skin depth effects at microwave frequencies are modeled and the limitations of such model approaches in beam transport problems are examined. In addition, the historic free space approach to absorbing boundary layers and the convolutional perfectly matched layer (CPML) are investigated. A comparison of the utility of such approaches in various practical applications is provided with some of the liabilities associated. The study combines analytical modeling with empirical processes sometimes required to analyze large and complex configurations.