A comparison of numerical methods for computing electromagnetic fields

The task of comparing numerical techniques used to solve electromagnetic-related problems not amenable to exact solution is discussed. A critical comparison of some of the methods is provided. These methods have advantages and disadvantages depending on the application, and, on the whole, the problem of choosing the optimal method for numerical modeling remains open. The methods that are analyzed are the finite-difference method (FDM), the finite-element method (FEM), the method of moments (MOM) the finite-difference time-domain (FD-TD) method, the transmission-line-matrix (TLM) method, and the boundary element method (BEM). Specifically, FDM and FEM are compared, FD-TD and TLM are compared, and FEM and MOM are compared. The numerical methods complement each other rather than compete with each other. Each provides a check and a better understanding of the other