Adaptive finite-element method for diffraction gratings

A second-order finite-element adaptive strategy with error control for one-dimensional grating problems is developed. The unbounded computational domain is truncated to a bounded one by a perfectly-matched-layer (PML) technique. The PML parameters, such as the thickness of the layer and the medium properties, are determined through sharp a posteriori error estimates. The adaptive finite-element method is expected to increase significantly the accuracy and efficiency of the discretization as well as reduce the computation cost. Numerical experiments are included to illustrate the competitiveness of the proposed adaptive method.