The finite difference time domain (FDTD) method has been developed in tandem with the progress of computer technology since K. S. Yee applied it to the analysis of an electromagnetic problem in 1966. The FDTD method is widely recognized as a powerful computational tool for analyzing electromagnetic problems involving complex geometries, such as antennas, microwave and optical waveguides and interaction between antennas and the human body. The commercial electromagnetic simulators based on the FDTD are also being developed very actively because users are able to trace temporal electromagnetic behaviors and to easily obtain a practical level of accuracy. However, the user must understand the principle of the method in order to use the simulator efficiently. In this paper, the basic concept and the principle of the FDTD method are reviewed for beginners, including graduate course students, rather than specialists in this discipline. Several recent topics concerning electromagnetic and antenna problems are also introduced.

This letter presents a reduction technique of penetrated electromagnetic fields through a narrow slot in a planar conducting screen. When a plane wave is excited to the narrow slot, the aperture electric field is controlled by the two parallel wires connected on the slot. The magnitude of penetrated electromagnetic fields through a narrow slot is controlled by electric field distributions on the slot aperture. The results show that the magnitude of the penetrated electromagnetic field can be effectively reduced by installing the two parallel wires on the slot.

Electromagnetic noise radiated from microwave ovens may cause serious interference problems in wireless systems using the 2.4-GHz band. Since oven noise waveforms show strong dependence on the frequency selectivity of the receiver filters, the effect of band limitation on the interfering oven noise is an important issue for evaluating or comparing the performance degradation of wireless systems subject to interference. To understand these effects, theoretical and experimental investigations of the waveform, peak amplitude, and pulse width of band-limited oven noise are carried out. It is found that the peak amplitude of the received noise changes with the bandwidth in a way very similar to the case of a simple RF tone-burst input. The pulse width of the received noise also changes with the receiver bandwidth but takes a minimum value at a certain receiver bandwidth, which is an essential feature of band-limited microwave oven noise. In addition, an appropriate resolution bandwidth is determined for using a spectrum analyzer to obtain accurate oven noise parameters.

In this paper, we propose an advanced location-based service that we call a direction-based service, which utilizes both the position and direction of a user. The direction-based service enables a user to point to an object of interest for command or investigation. We also describe the design, implementation and evaluations of a direction-based service system named Azim. With this system, the direction of the user can be obtained by a magnetic-based direction sensor. The sensor is also used for azimuth-based position estimation, in which a user's position is estimated by having the user point to and measure azimuths of several markers or objects whose positions are already known. Because this approach does not require any other accurate position sensors or positive beacons, it can be deployed cost-effectively. Also, because the measurements are naturally associated with some degree of error, the position is calculated as a probability distribution. The calculation considers the error of direction measurement and the pre-obtained field information such as obstacles and magnetic field disturbance, which enables robust position measurements even in geomagnetically disturbed environments. For wide-area use, the system also utilizes a wireless LAN to obtain rough position information by identifying base stations. We have implemented a prototype system for the proposed method and some applications for the direction-based services. Furthermore, we have conducted experiments both indoors and outdoors, and exemplified that positioning accuracy by the proposed method is precise enough for a direction-based service.

Multichannel superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) systems based on double relaxation oscillation SQUIDs (DROS) were developed for measuring magnetocardiography (MCG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals. Since DROS provides large flux-to-voltage transfer coefficients, about 10 times larger than the DC SQUIDs, direct readout of the SQUID output was possible using compact room-temperature electronics. Using DROSs, we fabricated two types of multichannel systems; a 37-channel magnetometer system with circular sensor distribution for measuring radial components of MEG signals, and two planar gradiometer systems of 40-channel and 62-channel measuring tangential components of MCG or MEG signals. The magnetometer system has external feedback to eliminate magnetic coupling with adjacent channels, and reference vector magnetometers were installed to form software gradiometers. The field noise of the magnetometers is around 3 fT/ at 100 Hz inside a magnetically shielded room. The planar gradiometer systems have integrated first-order gradiometer in thin-film form with a baseline of 40 mm. The magnetic field gradient noise of the planar gradiometers is about 1 fT/cm/ at 100 Hz. The planar gradiometers were arranged to measure field components tangential to the body surface, providing efficient measurement of especially MCG signals with smaller sensor coverage than the conventional normal component measurements.

Magnetic immunoassays utilizing magnetic marker and high Tc superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) have been performed. In this magnetic method, binding-reaction between an antigen and its antibody is detected by measuring the magnetic field from the magnetic marker. First, we discuss the magnetic property of the marker, and show that Fe3O4 particles with diameter of 25 nm can be used for remanence measurement. We also show a design of the SQUID for sensitive detection of the magnetic signal from the marker. Next, we developed a measurement system utilizing the SQUID and a reaction chamber with very low magnetic contamination. Finally, we conducted an experiment on the detection of the biological materials called IL8 and IgE. At present, a few atto-mol of IL8 and IgE has been detected, which shows the high sensitivity of the present method.

The use of metal-coated plastics is increasing as shielding materials of electronic and information products due to their lightweight. In this paper, a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm, based on the derivation of a time-domain representation of the surface impedance of an equivalent resistive film, was developed to analyze the electromagnetic penetration of pulsed electromagnetic fields through metal-coated plastics. The validity of the proposed algorithm, in both the far-field and near-field cases, was verified by comparing the calculated penetrated electromagnetic fields or shielding effectiveness with theoretical and measured ones. Good agreement between them demonstrated the usefulness of the FDTD algorithm.

Unloaded Q of a dielectric image resonator is discussed based on the electromagnetic field distribution. It is shown that a partial air gap and a dielectric sheet with low permittivity between the dielectric resonator and the shield case reduce both the dielectric loss and the conductor loss. Especially, reduction of the conductor loss is significant, since the magnetic field distribution moves from the conductor to the upper part of resonator. A half-cut image resonator with an air gap and dielectric spacer is simulated and measured. The unloaded Q of the dielectric resonator with low dielectric loss is improved by about two times from that of original image resonator.

This paper presents a new type of optical probe designed to detect magnetic near-fields with high accuracy in the gigahertz range. Its probe head consists of a loop antenna element doubly loaded with LiNbO3 electro-optic crystals. Through an optical technique, it can work as a conventional double-loaded loop probe without metallic cables or an electrical hybrid junction. We examined probe characteristics for magnetic field detection up to 20 GHz. We confirmed that the probe can measure magnetic fields near a microstrip line in the gigahertz range and can suppress influence of electric fields.

In this paper, the magnetic field properties around household appliances are investigated with the single coil model and equivalent source model, which are used as main source models in the European standard EN50366 (CENELEC). The accuracy of the field properties is conducted for the coil model (defined in the EN50366), by comparing with the results of the equivalent source model, which allow the reproduction of the complicated inhomogeneous magnetic field around the appliance with full generality (i.e. supports three dimensional vector fields).

In this study, a CG animation tool was designed that allows interpolation and extrapolation of two types of repeated motions including finger actions, for quantitative analyses of the relationship between features of human motions and subjective impressions. Three-dimensional human motions are measured with a magnetic motion capture and a pair of data gloves, and then relatively accurate time-series joint data are generated utilizing statistical characteristics. Based on the data thus obtained, time-series angular data of each joint for two dancing motions is transformed into frequency domain by Fourier transform, and spectral shape of each dancing action is interpolated. The interpolation and extrapolation of two motions can be synthesized with simple manner by changing an weight parameter while keeping good harmony of actions. Using this CG animation tool as a motion synthesizer, repeated human motions such as a dancing action that gives particular impressions on the observers can be quantitatively measured and analyzed by the synthesis of actions.

We describe elements of a fast integral equation solver for large periodic and partly periodic finite array systems. A key element of the algorithm is utilization (in a rigorous way) of a block-Toeplitz structure of the impedance matrix in conjunction with either conventional Method of Moments (MoM), Fast Multipole Method (FMM), or Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)-based Adaptive Integral Method (AIM) compression techniques. We refer to the resulting algorithms as the (block-)Toeplitz-MoM, (block-)Toeplitz-AIM, or (block-)Toeplitz-FMM algorithms. While the computational complexity of the Toeplitz-AIM and Toeplitz-FMM algorithms is comparable to that of their non-Toeplitz counterparts, they offer a very significant (about two orders of magnitude for problems of the order of five million unknowns) storage reduction. In particular, our comparisons demonstrate, that the Toeplitz-AIM algorithm offers significant advantages in problems of practical interest involving arrays with complex antenna elements. This result follows from the more favorable scaling of the Toeplitz-AIM algorithm for arrays characterized by large number of unknowns in a single array element and applicability of the AIM algorithm to problems requiring strongly sub-wavelength resolution.

Common-mode (CM) current on a feed cable attached to printed circuit board (PCB), which is one of main source of undesired electromagnetic radiation problem, is investigated by experimental and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) modeling. In this paper, frequency responses of CM current on PCB and feed cable are modeled and analyzed as an electromagnetic interference (EMI) antenna, which depends on the configuration of PCB with a wire cable. Several different configurations are prepared to demonstrate the effect of PCB dimension on resonance frequencies of CM current. In the results, EMI antenna in the frequency band around the first resonance frequency was comprised of the ground plane and cable. In order to explain the frequency response of CM current, two EMI antenna models are proposed and demonstrated. EMI antenna is comprised of the ground plane and cable, and the other EMI antenna is comprised of the trace on the ground plane. It is suggested that the result is one of basic consideration for the ground plane with cable that have high EMI problem and resonance frequency of CM current.

In the optimum design of AC contactors, it is necessary to analyze the dynamic behavior. Moreover, movable contacts and core bounce have remarkable effect on the lifetime of contactors. A set of differential equations describes the coupling of the electric circuit, electromagnetic field and mechanical system taking account into bounce and the influence of friction. With virtual prototyping technology, the dynamic behavior, especially for contacts bounce, has been investigated according to different electrical circuit parameters. Two approaches are introduced to solve electromagnetic parameters. Based on 3D finite element static nonlinear analysis, the flux linkage and electromagnetic force can be evaluated with different air gap and exciting current for larger gap. In addition, concerning to the shading coil for smaller gap, magnetic circuit can facilitate the calculation. The validity of the proposed method is confirmed by experiments.

A single solid-state magnetic sensor can be used to measure a current by sensing the field near the conductor in a non-contact way. In order to improve the accuracy of the measuring system, magnetic sensor arrays have been introduced in the current measurement around the conductor. An analytical algorithm based on Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) is presented in this paper, which can separate the effects of the field generated by the current under measurement from the interference fields. A general mathematical model of the interference analysis is set up, which can be used for both DC and AC current measurement and has no restriction on the shape and number of the current conductors. Numerical simulations associated with preliminary experimental results confirm the validity of the approach.

It is novel to apply magnetic field in the indoor air purification by collecting pre-charged suspended particles. Based on experiments and analysis of relative data, the effects of some influential factors (the number of discharge electrode, the polarity and magnitude of discharge voltage, the direction and magnitude of magnetic field, the initial velocity of charged particles, the distance between particle collecting plates) on the efficiency of air purification are discussed. The results indicate that the purification efficiency is improved by applying the proper magnetic field, -6 kV direct current voltage is an optimal voltage and there are optimal magnitudes of the distance between collecting plate and the initial velocity of particles in the purification process.

A high-attenuation waveguide filter using electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) substrates is introduced. With a simple design modification on the EBG covers, the waveguide filter produced an almost full Ku-band rejection bandwidth showing better than 20 dB input-to-output isolation from 12.3 to 17.2 GHz.

The effect of the structure with difference on cross-section for the enlarged models that simulates signal transmission line (STL) in the magnetic head of HDD is discussed. The experimental results suggested that strip and shield structure are effective for suppression of EMI.

Recent investigations using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of human speech organs have opened up new avenues of research. Visualization of the speech production system provides abundant information on the physiological and acoustic realization of human speech. This article summarizes the current status of MRI applications with respect to speech research as well as our own experience of discovery and re-evaluation of acoustic events emanating from the vocal tract and physiological mechanisms.

This paper presents an imaging technique using the MUSIC algorithm to localize cylindrical reflectors in cross-borehole radar arrangements. Tomographic measurement, in which a transmitting and a receiving antenna are individually moved in separate boreholes, can be considered as a combination of a transmitting and a receiving array. A decorrelation technique with the transmitting array, which has been proposed for imaging point reflectors, is applied for imaging cylindrical reflectors using the MUSIC algorithm. Simulated and experimental results are shown to verify the validity of this algorithm for cylindrical targets. We analyze the evaluation error caused by the increase in the radius of the cylinder.