Hybrid Higher Order FEM-MoM Analysis of Continuously Inhomogeneous Electromagnetic Scatterers

A novel higher order entire-domain finite element technique is presented for accurate and efficient fullwave three-dimensional analysis of electromagnetic structures with continuously inhomogeneous material regions, using large (up to about two wavelengths on a side) generalized curved hierarchical curl-conforming hexahedral vector finite elements (of arbitrary geometrical and fieldapproximation orders) that allow continuous change of medium parameters throughout their volumes. The results demonstrate considerable reductions in both number of unknowns and computation time of the entire-domain FEM modeling of continuously inhomogeneous materials over piecewise homogeneous models.