EM wave simulation: An animated electromagnetic wave teaching package

This paper describes EM Wave Simulation, a windows‐based animated electromagnetic wave simulation package, developed as a supplementary tool for teaching electromagnetic field theory at the undergraduate level. For the purpose of rapid display of electromagnetic wave images, the implemented algorithm assumes a structure sandwiched between two perfect electric conductor planes and employs a 2½‐dimensional finite‐difference time‐domain (FDTD) method on a staggered grid, which is suitable for simulating simplified electromagnetic wave propagation in indoor environments. Frequency‐domain spectral information can be extracted with the built‐in one‐ and two‐dimensional discrete Fourier transforms facilities. A user‐friendly mouse‐and‐menu‐driven interface allows user to set up simulations containing complex geometries in a straightforward fashion. Simulated results, in both time and frequency domains, can be displayed in real‐time on the computer screen, which makes the application ideal for use in interactive undergraduate teaching. Some sample simulations are discussed in the paper to illustrate its principal functionality. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 9: 208–219, 2001; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com.); DOI 10.1002/cae.10001