Parallel Implementation of the Discrete Green's Function Formulation of the FDTD Method on a Multicore Central Processing Unit

Abstract

Parallel implementation of the discrete Green's function formulation of the finite-difference time-domain (DGF-FDTD) method was developed on a multicore central processing unit. DGF-FDTD avoids computations of the electromagnetic field in free-space cells and does not require domain termination by absorbing boundary conditions. Computed DGF-FDTD solutions are compatible with the FDTD grid enabling the perfect hybridization of FDTD with the use of time-domain integral equation methods. The developed implementation can be applied to simulations of antenna characteristics. For the sake of example, arrays of Yagi-Uda antennas were simulated with the use of parallel DGF-FDTD. The efficiency of parallel computations was investigated as a function of the number of current elements in the FDTD grid. Although the developed method does not apply the fast Fourier transform for convolution computations, advantages stemming from the application of DGF-FDTD instead of FDTD can be demonstrated for one-dimensional wire antennas when simulation results are post-processed by the near-to-far-field transformation.