Features and Limitations

OpenModes implements the method of moments (MOM) numerical algorithm, which is a general approach for solving many electromagnetic scattering problems. However, the code has been optimised for a specific purpose, namely extracting simple physical models from full numerical analysis of structures which are approximately one wavelength in size or smaller.

Features

  • Highly flexible python scripting, allows a wide variety of problems to be solved and information to be extracted.
  • Modelling essentially arbitrary 3D geometries, including 2D thin layer structures
  • Web browser based UI, including interactive 3D plots.
  • Key routines are written in Fortran, making them very efficient
  • Multi-core CPUs can be utilised effectively, thanks to the use of OpenMP parallel constructs.
  • Object-oriented design allows different choices such as the type of basis function to be changed easily.

Limitations

  • The software fully supports perfect electric conductors. Most features also work for dielectric materials as well, with support expected to improve. Plasmonic materials are currently untested.
  • Acceleration techniques such as the Fast Multipole Method (FMM) are not used, since they are not well-suited for sub-wavelength structures.
  • GPU computing is not currently supported.

Architecture

There is a fairly complex set of objects which together make up OpenModes. The user can largely avoid having to know about these, by creating a Simulation object, which hides many implementation details and provides functions to perform most common tasks. A few other key components are described here:

  • Meshes are generated externally, mostly using the gmsh program. There is some limited support for using freecad to create geometries. The geometries shipped with openmodes are in parametric form, allowing dimensions to be easily modified before meshing. Calling these external meshing utilities, and reading the resultant mesh, is handled by mesh.py.
  • When a mesh is added to the simulation, it is known as a Part, as defined in part.py. This stores the coordinates of the Part, and the corresponding mesh.
  • Basis functions are currently limited to RWG and loop-star functions. They are created over a mesh, using the routines in basis.py. They are created in a lazy fashion, using an object known as a BasisContainer.
  • Operators implement the mathematics at the heart of the program, solving equations such as EFIE, MFIE, PMCHWT or CTF. These operators call fast Fortran routines to fill the impedance matrices.
  • Impedance matrices are stored in special objects, defined in impedance.py. These objects can be indexed by parts, to conveniently find self and mutual impedance terms in a system of coupled objects.
  • Sources are electric and/or magnetic fields which excite the structure, depending on which operator is used. They are defined in sources.py, and simple incident fields such as a plane wave are defined. It should be relatively easy for the user to add some arbitrary incident field form.
  • Modes of a structure are found by looking for the poles of the Operator. They are stored in an object defined in modes.py, enabling their resonant frequency, current vector, and the Part they are associated with the be kept together.