Finite-element solution to electromagnetic scattering problems by means of the Robin boundary condition iteration method

A new numerical method, called the Robin boundary condition iteration (RBCI), is proposed for the finite-element (FE) solution of electromagnetic scattering problems in open boundary domains. The unbounded domain is truncated to a bounded one by means of a fictitious boundary that contains the scatterer and on which a suitable nonhomogeneous Robin (mixed) boundary condition is assumed for the Helmholtz equation in the bounded domain. The Robin condition is expressed by means of an integral formula (the second Green identity) in terms of the field in the interior of the bounded domain, with the integration surface being a surface strictly enclosed by the truncation boundary. The discretized differential and integral equations are then coupled together to solve the problem. The formulation is completely immune from the well-known interior resonance problems. A simple and effective iterative solving scheme is described. Examples are also provided to validate RBCI and compare it with other methods.