The RCWA Method - A Case Study with Open Questions and Perspectives of Algebraic Computations - Science

The RCWA Method - A Case Study with Open Questions and Perspectives of Algebraic Computations

ID: 2552, RIV: 10027363
ISSN: 1068-9613, ISBN: not specified
source: Electronic Transactions on Numerical Analysis (2008)
keywords: Method; Study; Questions; Perspectives; Algebraic; Computations
authors: John Hench, Zdeněk Strakoš
authors from KNM: Strakoš Zdeněk

Abstract

Diffraction of light on a periodic media represents an important problem with numerous physical and engineering applications. The RCWA method assumes a specific form of gratings which enables a straightforward separation of space variables. Using Fourier expansions, the solutions of the resulting systems of ordinary differential equations for the Fourier amplitudes can after truncation be written in a form of matrix functions, with an elegant formulation of the linear algebraic problem for integrating constants. In our text we present derivation of the RCWA method, we formulate open questions which still need to be addressed and discuss perspectives of efficient solution of the related highly structured linear algebraic problems. A detailed understanding of the RCWA method for the two-dimensional grating is in our opinion necessary for development of successful generalization of the method to practical problems.