On the accuracy of MFIE and CFIE in the solution of large electromagnetic scattering problems

Abstract

We present the linear-linear (LL) basis functions to improve the accuracy of the magnetic-field integral equation (MFIE) and the combined-field integral equation (CFIE) for three-dimensional electromagnetic scattering problems involving large scatterers. MFIE and CFIE with the conventional Rao-Wilton-Glisson (RWG) basis functions are significantly inaccurate even for large and smooth geometries, such as a sphere, compared to the solutions by the electric-field integral equation (EFIE). By using the LL functions, the accuracy of MFIE and CFIE can be improved to the levels of EFIE without increasing the computational requirements and with only minor modifications in the existing codes based on the RWG functions.