Real time interface between 3D expanded-TLM and Yee's FDTD modules

A real-time interface between 3D expanded node transmission line modelling (TLM) and Yee's (1966) finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithms has been developed and validated. A structure can be subdivided in an arbitrary manner into connected TLM and FDTD subdomains which are updated simultaneously. In this way the specific advantages of both methods can be exploited when solving a given problem. The interface procedure has been validated by solving identical structures first with TLM, then FDTD, and finally with a combination of both. All three methods yield identical numerical results for equal excitation, space and time resolution.