A General Framework for the Finite-Difference Time-Domain Simulation of Real Metals

We present an efficient framework for the finite-difference time-domain simulation of real metals. The complex permittivity function of a metal is fitted to experimental data in the frequency domain using a non-linear least squares algorithm. A memory-efficient finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) scheme is presented for the simulation of the dispersive behavior of a metal in the frequency domain. The stability limit for the proposed scheme is determined and compared to the Courant limit. Excellent agreement between our FDTD formulation and the analytical solution for reflections from a thin metal sheet is found