Comparison of EM simulation software
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The following table lists software packages with their own article on Wikipedia that are nominal EM (electromagnetic) simulators;
| Name | License | Windows | Linux | 3D | GUI | Convergence detector | Mesher | Algorithm | Area of application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEC | open source | Yes | Yes | Yes | In some distributions | Yes | manual | MoM | Antenna modeling, especially in Amateur Radio. Widely used as the basis for many GUI-based programs on many platforms. Version 2 is open source, but Versions 3 and 4 are commercially licensed. |
| Momentum | commercial | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes | equidistant | MoM | For passive planar elements development, integrated into Keysight EEsof Advanced Design System. |
| Ansys HFSS | commercial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Automatic adaptive | FEM, FDTD, PO, Hybrid FEBI, MoM, and Eigenmode expansion (EME). | For antenna/filter/IC packages, Radome, RFIC, MMIC, Antenna Placement, Waveguide (radio frequency), EMI, Frequency selective surfaces (FSS), Electromagnetic metamaterials, Composite Material, RCS-Mono and Bi development. |
| XFdtd | commercial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Automatic (project optimized) | FDTD | RF and microwave antennas, components, and systems, including mobile devices. MRI coils, radar, waveguides, SAR validation. |
| AWR Axiem | commercial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Automatic, Hybrid | MoM | PCBs, multi-layer PCBs, LTCC, HTCC, on-chip passives, printed antennas. Integrated into Microwave Office. |
| AWR Analyst | commercial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Automatic and adaptive | FEM | 3D structurers (including 3D antennas), waveguides, 3D filters, PCBs, multi-layer PCBs, LTCC, HTCC, on-chip Passives, printed antennas. Integrated into Microwave Office. |
| JCMsuite | commercial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Automatic, error-controlled | FEM | Nano- and micro-photonic applications (light scattering, waveguide modes, optical resonances). |
| QuickField | commercial and free editions | Yes | No | Partial | Yes | Yes | Automatic or Manual | FEM | General purpose for research, engineering and educational use, includes AC, DC and Transient Magnetics, Electrostatics, AC and DC Conduction, Transient Electrics, Heat Transfer and multiphysics |
| COMSOL Multiphysics | commercial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Automatic | FEM, MoM, BPM, ray tracing | General purpose |
| FEKO | commercial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Automatic or manual; adaptive | MoM, FEM FDTD MLFMM PO RL-GO UTD | For antenna analysis, antenna placement, windscreen antennas, microstrip circuits, waveguide structures, radomes, EMI, cable coupling, FSS, metamaterials, periodic structures, RFID |
| Elmer FEM | open source (GPL) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | manual, or can import other mesh formats | FEM | General purpose, includes 2D and 3D magnetics solvers, both static and harmonic. 3D solver is based on the Whitney AV formulation of Maxwell's equations. |
| VSimEM | Commercial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Automatic, variable mesh | FDTD, PIC, finite volume | Simulating electromagnetics, and electrostatics in complex dielectric and metallic environments. Phased array antenna systems, radar equipment, and photonics. |
| Meep | open source (GPL) | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | manual | FDTD, FDFD | Optics and photonics (nanophotonics, photonic crystals, plasmonics, silicon photonics, metamaterials) |
| CST Studio Suite | commercial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Automatic, adaptive | FDTD/FIT, FEM, MLFMM, MoM, SBR, PIC | General purpose – statics, low-frequency, microwaves and RF, terahertz, photonics, particle accelerators, electronics |
| MPB | open source (GPL) | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | manual | PWEM | For band diagram and modal analysis of periodic structures (photonic crystals and metamaterials) |