IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, VOL. 42, NO.

5, MAY 1994

870

FDTD Method Coupled with FFT: A

Generalization to Open Cylindrical Devices
A. Navarro and M. J. NuAez

Abstract-The extension of a numerical method, based in an

FDTD algorithm coupled with FFT, is presented. It can be widely
applied to the analysis of axially symmetric passive microwave
devices. By incorporating the proper radiation conditions to the
algorithm, its capacity to deal with the study of open systems
is shown; this allows the determination of its quality factor, as
well as the resonant frequency and the spatial distribution of
the modes. On the other hand, the proper performance of the
technique has been verified (stability of the algorithm, accuracy
of results) for modes of high angular dependence.

I. INTRODUCTION

N the last years, the numerical techniques based on finite

difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithms applicable to
the study of microwave devices have grown in importance.
From the work of Yee [l], some techniques have been developed, more and more refined, that aim at the improvement
of both the algorithm of finite differences used (new systems
of gridding) [2]-[4], and the treatment of the generated time
series [5]-[7]. The number of problems and devices for which
its use is appropriate is thus increased.
Lately, a technique has been proposed [8], [9] which is
based on the coupling of FDTD with FFT,for the modal
study (resonant frequencies, spatial distribution of the field) of
axially symmetric resonant devices. Its application has been
limited, so far, to closed devices or to modes without angular
dependence in shielded devices.
In this paper, the capacity of the technique to deal with the
study of modes with angular dependence is shown, including
the high order cases, in shielded and open devices. The
application to open systems has meant a generalization of the
technique (radiation conditions) that allows the determination
of its quality factor, as well as the frequency and spatial
distribution of the modes.
From a schematic description (Section 11) of the numerical
technique, the results obtained in a shielded resonant device
(parallel-plate dielectric resonator) with a known analytical
solution are first presented (Section 1II.A); this shows the
contrast between the accuracy of the technique, both regarding
the calculation of the resonant frequency and the spatial
distribution of the associated modes. Next (Section 111-B),
an open device (cylindrical dielectric resonator) is studied;
the resonant frequencies and quality factors calculated are
compared to the values obtained experimentally by [lo].
Manuscript received July 14, 1992; revised July 6, 1993.
?e authors are with the Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias
Quimicas, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30071 Murcia,
Spain.
Log Number 9216823.

Fig. 1. Geometly and cylindrical coordinates for body of revolution.

11. NUMERICALMETHOD
We consider, in absence of sources, a partially homogeneous system (Fig. 1) with cylindrical symmetry. The several
components of the fields, 4(F,t ) , can be expressed, in cylindrical coordinates ( T , 0,z ) , as a linear combination of modes
grouped according to their angular dependence (0):
00

$(F, t ) =

@n(T,

z , t ) . On(@)

(1)

n=O

For each value of the index n, Maxwell's rotational equations provide, in each homogeneous medium, equations of
temporal evolution for the functions an,{e,, e e , e,, h,, h e ,
h z } , associated with the different components of the field

E,

p: permittivity and permeability of the medium

Depending on the system that is considered, the conditions

typical of dielectric and metallic boundary must be applied to
(2), and for open systems, the radiation condition (inferable

0018-9480/94$04.00 0 1994 IEEE

87 1

NAVARRO AND NURE2 FDTD METHOD COUPLED WITH F F I A GENERALIZATION TO OPEN CYLINDRICAL DEVICES

: e,.h,

o :he

: h,,e,
:eo

z
Fig. 2.

Space-time mesh used in the calculation of the field components.

r
Fig. 3. Parallel-plate dielectric resonator of radius R = 5.25 mm, height
H = 4.26 mm and relative permittivity E~ = 38.
Fig. 4. Radial distribution of e, for modes HEM111 (a) and HEM221 of
the parallel-plate dielectric resonator. Numerical value: 0, Theoretical value:

from the Kirchoff s solution of the wave equation [ 113)

c: speed of light in external medium

From a initial distribution (t = 0) of the components of
the field, and using the proper space-time mesh (Fig. 2), a set
of temporal series is generated for the several components of
the field in each point ( T , z ) of the spatial mesh by the finite
difference method

an;

Qn(T,

z , t i ) , ti

= i .a

i = O , 1 , 2 ,..., N - 1 ,

t
T_N.At

(4)

The application of the FFT to any of these series provides

a set of Fourier coefficients {Fk}, whose modulus {IFkl}
presents a local maximum in frequencies close to those of the
modes. If k and k' are the indexes of a maximum of { IFk I}
and of the previous value (or subsequent), the frequency w,
of the associated mode is given by
2.n

ws=-.

k.Fk-k'.Fkf
Fk - Fkl

(5)

In the case of radiant modes, the real and imaginary parts of

the quotient (5) correspond, respectively, to the real frequency,
w,,,and the damping factor, a s ,associated with the mode; its
knowledge allows, therefore, to calculate the quality factor,
Q s , using the relation

Once the frequencies {w,} have been calculated, the Fourier

coefficients associated with the several points of the mesh,

provide their spatial distribution, q5s(~.z)relative to a normalization point (r0,zo) for the same value of the index k
corresponding to the sth mode

4s ( T' z )
4 s ( T o , 20)

Fk(7-Z)
Fk(ro,zo)

(7)

111. APPLICATIONS
A. Parallel-Plate Dielectric Resonator
The numerical method has been applied, in the first place,
to a shielded device whose known analytical solution allows
the estimation of its accuracy: the parallel-plate dielectric
resonator (Fig. 3).
A dielectric resonator of radius R = 5.25 mm, height
H = 4.6 mm and relative permittivity E, = 38 has been
considered, placed between two undefined metallic planes.
Since the system shows a symmetry of reflection with respect
to a perpendicular plane to axis z , (Fig. 3), that passes by
z = 0, the resonant modes may be classified in two families,
characterized by the components of the field whose value is
null in the symmetry plane: e,, h,, he or e,, e o , h,. This
provides homogeneous boundary conditions in z = 0 and
allows the reduction to half (semiplane z 2 0) of the zone
considered in the numerical calculus. In order to obtain a field
that includes a wide group of modes, an initial distribution
consisting of a pulse localized in an inner point of the resonator
was given.
A homogeneous space mesh of 1 1 x 55 points (1 1 x 1 9 in
dielectric region) has been used over the semiplane z 2 0,

872

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, VOL. 42, NO. 5 , MAY 1994

I e,l
t ' ?L

HEM331

TEHOl

I
6
I

(2=0.214xH)

8
\

r
(a)

TEHOZ
I

(z=0.214xH)

I
I

&

I
I
I
I

Fig. 5. Radial distribution of e , for modes HEM331 (a) and HEMlo,l,l

(b) of the parallel-plate dielectric resonator. Numerical value: o, Theoretical
value: - - -

1-.

r
(b)

leal

r A

r - - - - R-

I
I

H
2

Fig. 6. Cylindrical dielectric resonator of radius R

H = 4.26 mm and relative permittivity cT = 38.

>
Z

= 5.25mm, heigth

4
I
I

&
I

,A.
t

HEEZl

L
I

i
?

(z=O.PxH)

\
\

*\
\
\

TABLE I
RESONANT
FREQUENCIES
FOR MODESHEM,,,
OF
A PARALLEL-KATE DIELECTRIC
RESONATOR
(FIG. 3)
Modes
n=l,2
HEM111

f(GHz)
Computed Theoretical
6.21
6.214
8.33
8.334
9.48
9.499
11.052
11.092
12.045
12.081
7.5 1
7.514
9.72
9.726
11.35
11.372
11.83
11.869
13.803
13.853

Modes
n=3,10
HEM311

f(GHz)
Computed Theoretical
9.003
9.003
11.17
11.177
12.81
12.841
13.23
13.257
14.7
14.757
20.335
20.294
22.02
22.049
22.193
22.175
24.06
24.094
25.04
25.085

Fig. 7. Radial distribution of [eelfor modesTEHol (a), T E H o ~(b) and

HEEZl (c) of the cylindrical dielectric resonator.

until a radial distance T = 3 . R from where the field is

considered approximately zero (trapped modes). The temporal
series include N = 32.768 instants separated by an interval
At
5.3 x
s.
In Table I, the determined resonant frequencies of the first
hybrid modes of the families corresponding to
five HEM,,,

873

NAVARRO AND N U N E Z FDTD METHOD COUPLED WITH FFT:A GENERALIZATION TO OPEN CYLINDRICAL DEVICES

TABLE lI
RESONANT
FREQUENCIES
AND Q-FACTORS
FOR THE MODESOF A CYLINDRICAL
DIELECTRIC
RESONATOR
(FIG. 6). FOR EXPERIMENTAL VALUESAND INTEGRALMETHODSEE [IO], [13].
Mode

TEHOI
HEHI 1
HEEII
WE01

HEEz~
TEEOI
HEHZI
EHOZ

HEH~z
HEH~Y

Numerical Method
f(GHz)
Q
4.848
41
6.3 1
30
6.638
52
7.513
66
7.721
333(f7)
8.297
299(f28)
8.455
1074 (f12)
9.10
45
9.35
160(+10)
9.92
12l(f2)

Experimental values
f(GHz)
Q
4715 1
4.85
6.64
64
86
7.60
7.81
2041288
-

Integral Method
f(GHz)
Q
4.829
45.8
6.333
30.7
6.638
52. I
7.524
76.8
7.752
327.1

n = 1, 2, 3, 10 are shown; they have been expressed to the

As can be observed, there is a close agreement with the
last digit that stays stable when various points of the mesh experimental values of frequency (discrepances 51%)and
are considered. In Figs. 4 and 5, the radial distribution of with those from the integral method of Glisson. For the quality
a representative component (e,) of the field associated with factors, the agreement is close to the values obtained by the
several modes of high and low angular dependence ( n = 1, integral technique, and reasonably worse with the experimental
2, 3, IO) is shown.
results: as Glisson already notes, the different techniques of
The numerical results have been compared with theoretical measurement (transmissionheflection) yield markedly different
solutions, that, as it is already known, correspond to the non values; on the other hand, in low Q modes, the measurement
radiant modes of a dielectric guide [12], whose propagation presents difficulties (coupling is not produced). In this case,
constant, 13, conforms to the condition of stationary wave besides, the relation (6) used in its determination is just an
(0= p . r / H ) between the two metallic planes. The disagree- approximation to the value of the measured parameter. In
ment between the numerical and the theoretical values of the modes with higher Q,the imaginary part, a,, of the complex
frequency, as can be observed in Table I, does not exceed frequencies is small and normally has a higher relative error;
1%.Exactly the same happens with the value of the fields that implies, given the relation (6), a greater variability in the
when the error relative to the maximum value of normaliza- determined values of Q; this variability can be decreased using
tion is considered. This close numerical-theoretical agreement in the determination of w,, following ( 5 ) , the coefficients Fk
includes the high order modes and high angular dependence corresponding to points of the mesh where the maximums of
( n = lo). In this last case, and given the concentration of { lpk I} are more pronounced.
the field in the periphery of the resonator (whispering gallery
Some of the calculated spatial distributions are also shown
modes), (Fig. 5(c)), we have placed the initial stimulus point (Fig. 7). The comparison with those obtained for the shielded
in this region.
cylindrical resonator shows clearly the radiant character of the
low Q modes.
B. Cylindrical Dielectric Resonator
IV. CONCLUSION
To test the validity of the method in open systems, we have
The ability of the FDTD method coupled with FFT for
applied it to the study of a dielectric resonator (Fig. 6) of
radius R, height H and relative permittivity E, equal to the the study of modes with angular dependence in open and
previous case. As it happened then, the symmetry of reflection shielded resonators has been tested. The method allows the
accurate determination of the resonant frequency (error
allows the reduction to a half of the calculus zone.
A spatial mesh of 50 x 60 points has been used, denser including high order modes, as well as the spatial distributions
in the dielectric region (11x19) points, that is extended to of the field. For open systems, it provides a reasonable
a distance z = 4.5 . H , r = 9 . R, in which the radiation estimation of the quality factor.
We believe that the generalization carried out, along with
condition (3) is applied. As in the previous case, the time
the
characteristical advantages of the FDTD methods, make the
mesh includes N = 32.768 instants separated by an interval
proposed technique a useful tool for the analysis of devices of
At M 6.7 x
s, (3.9 x
s, for n = 2).
In Table 11, the determined values for the resonant frequency current interest, both in the microwaves field and in the optic
and the quality factor of the ten first modes are shown; in the band: whispering gallery modes in ring resonators, Fabry-Perot
first five, as a contrast, the experimental and numerical values, cavity, etc. . . .

zl%),

obtained by Glisson [lo], [13] in the study of this device,

are included. The experimental values [lo] were found using
a measurement technique for open resonators (absorbing-wall
chamber, polyfoam support and feed-detection by electromagnetic coupling to coaxial cables by a loop and a dipole); the
numerical values [13] were obtained from a moment method
based on integral equations of the electromagnetic field.

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IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, VOL. 42, NO. 5, MAY 1994

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[9] -,
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[lo] A. W. Glisson, Integral equation techniques, in D. K. Kajfez and P.

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A. Navarro, photograph and biography not available at the time of publication.

M. J. Niinez, photograph and biography not available at the time of publication.