A hybrid 3D TLM-FDTD model of microwave fields

This paper presents a hybrid method which combines 3D Symmetrical Condensed Node-Transmission Line Modeling (SCN-TLM) and Yee´s Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) methods. This work is an extension of our earlier work on the interface between 2D TLM and FDTD. Even though, the 3D SCN-TLM and FDTD nodes differ in structure and high-frequency dispersion characteristics, they give virtually the same numerical results for identical band-limited excitation, and equal space and time resolution. Using the interface presented in this paper, the specific features of both of these nodes can be exploited when solving a given problem.