Trade-Offs for Unconditional Stability in the Finite-Element Time-Domain Method

We discuss basic trade-offs in the application of unconditionally-stable time-updating schemes for the finite-element time-domain solution of Maxwell's equations. Particular attention is given to the case of large Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy number, where the conventional thought holds that unconditionally stable schemes provide marked advantage over conditionally stable ones.