A time-domain hybrid method combining the finite-difference and physical-optics methods

A new hybrid technique, entirely formulated in the time domain, has been de veloped and used to study small radiating sources close to large but finite scatterers. It combines a rigorous method; the finite-difference time-doma in (FDTD) method, with an asymptotic method, the time-domain physical-optic s (TDPO) method. Numerical examples are performed to validate the principle of the new approach and demonstrate its higher computation performances co mpared to the classical FDTD algorithm. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.