Finite Element Software for Microwave Engineering

Book excerpt: Finite element methods have become essential design tools for managing the complex structures and devices needed in modern microwave technology. Long the preferred techniques of both researchers and engineers, their migration from research lab to routine industrial use has been accelerated by hardware and software improvements. The last decade has seen the widespread availability of good commercial finite element programs for an extensive range of applications. Finite Element Software for Microwave Engineering provides the first comprehensive overview of this burgeoning field. With its unique focus on current and future industrial applications rather than on mathematical methodology, this book is an invaluable complement to the existing literature on finite element methods. Directed to practicing engineers and researchers, the book describes user experience with current software, shows how existing programs can be used to solve problems not foreseen by their designers, and attempts to predict which methods may appear in the commercial products of tomorrow.