Unconditionally stable split-step finite difference time domain formulations for double-dispersive electromagnetic materials

Systematic split-step finite difference time domain (SS-FDTD) formulations, based on the general Lie–Trotter–Suzuki product formula, are presented for solving the time-dependent Maxwell equations in double-dispersive electromagnetic materials. The proposed formulations provide a unified tool for constructing a family of unconditionally stable algorithms such as the first order split-step FDTD (SS1-FDTD), the second order split-step FDTD (SS2-FDTD), and the second order alternating direction implicit FDTD (ADI-FDTD) schemes. The theoretical stability of the formulations is included and it has been demonstrated that the formulations are unconditionally stable by construction. Furthermore, the dispersion relation of the formulations is derived and it has been found that the proposed formulations are best suited for those applications where a high space resolution is needed. Two-dimensional (2-D) and 3-D numerical examples are included and it has been observed that the SS1-FDTD scheme is computationally more efficient than the ADI-FDTD counterpart, while maintaining approximately the same numerical accuracy. Moreover, the SS2-FDTD scheme allows using larger time step than the SS1-FDTD or ADI-FDTD and therefore necessitates less CPU time, while giving approximately the same numerical accuracy.