WaveSim is a free, open-source wave propagation solver designed to simulate electromagnetic, acoustic, and seismic wave behaviors in large, complex, and inhomogeneous structures.
Initially developed at the University of Twente, the project is a collaborative effort involving the FORTH research institute and Rayfos Ltd, which provides commercial training and support. The Core Technology
Unlike traditional simulation methods like Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) or Pseudospectral Time-Domain (PSTD), WaveSim uses a Modified Born Series (MBS) approach.
Zero Numerical Dispersion: Traditional finite-difference calculations often accumulate calculation errors (numerical dispersion) over long distances. Because WaveSim directly solves the Helmholtz and Maxwell equations without finite-difference approximations, it eliminates these errors entirely.
Guaranteed Convergence: While a standard Born series often fails to solve highly complex scattering environments, WaveSim’s modified mathematics guarantee the solver converges monotonically to the correct answer. Performance and Scalability
WaveSim is highly optimized for modern hardware and is available via Python and MATLAB packages with built-in CPU and GPU acceleration.
Speed and Memory Gains: In early benchmark tests simulating light propagation, WaveSim operated up to 2,000 times faster than optimized FDTD solvers while consuming just 1% of the memory.
Massive Scaling: Using domain decomposition techniques to split workloads across multiple GPUs, WaveSim can process billions of voxels. Researchers successfully simulated a massive 3D structure spanning over 31 million wavelengths in just 45 minutes. Industrial Applications
Because it bridges the gap between physics-accurate simulation and manufacturing, it is actively utilized in several high-tech fields:
Optical and Photonic Design: Modelling electromagnetic field propagation in sub-wavelength, freeform, or highly non-ideal optical systems.
Optoacoustics & Acoustics: Analyzing how sound waves travel through complex biological tissues or inhomogeneous materials.
Telecommunications: Mapping signals in complex scattering environments.
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