Advances in Radio Science www.adv-radio-sci.net 1684-9965 1684-9973 1 Kleinheubacher Berichte 2002 2003 10.5194/ars-1-87-2003 http://www.adv-radio-sci.net/1/87/2003/ http://www.adv-radio-sci.net/1/87/2003/ars-1-87-2003.html http://www.adv-radio-sci.net/1/87/2003/ars-1-87-2003.pdf 87 92 2003-05-05 Comparison of errors and stability in FDTD and FVTD P. Leuchtmann C. Fumeaux D. Baumann Institut für Feldtheorie und Höchstfrequenztechnik, ETH Zürich, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland The methods of finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) and finite-volume time-domain (FVTD) are well known techniques for solving electromagnetic problems. While for FDTD a number of commercial codes is available there are only few based on FVTD. However, FVTD has advantages since it allows completely unstructured meshes. This paper 1. deals with the principle errors made in both approaches and 2. gives a theoretical comparison of the (local) stability of an FVTD scheme as opposed to the conventional Yee-scheme commonly used in FDTD. Finally the principles of a new FVTD program is presented. Its capabilities are demonstrated by the field of an antenna array.