Hybrid finite element-boundary integral algorithm to solve the problem of scattering from a finite array of cavities with multilayer stratified dielectric coating.

This work presents a hybrid finite element-boundary integral algorithm to solve the problem of scattering from a finite array of two-dimensional cavities engraved in a perfectly electric conducting screen covered with multilayer stratified dielectric coating. The solution region is divided into interior regions containing the cavities and the region exterior to the cavities. The finite element formulation is applied only inside the interior regions to derive a linear system of equations associated with unknown field values. Using a two-boundary formulation, the surface integral equation employing a closed-form multilayer Green's function in the spatial domain is applied at the opening of the cavities as a boundary constraint to truncate the solution region. The closed-form Green's function in the spatial domain for multilayer planar coating is expressed in terms of complex images using the generalized pencil-of-function method in conjunction with a two-level sampling approach. Placing the truncation boundary at the opening of the cavities and inside the dielectric coating results in a highly efficient solution in terms of computational resources, which makes the algorithm well suited for optimization problems involving scattering from grating surfaces. The near fields are generated for array of cavities with different dimensions and inhomogeneous fillings covered with dielectric layers.