ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses three-dimensional (3D) finite element method (FEM) by considering a simple 3D element, such as a tetrahedron. The tetrahedron is the only element to which first-order approximation can be applied to introduce the FEM for electromagnetics directly from Maxwell’s equations without using complex formulations. The FEM analysis aims to evaluate the nodal variable that can be a scalar function as the electric potential or a vector field one as the magnetic potential vector or both. The goal of a 3D electrostatics simulation is to determine the distribution of both the scalar electric potential function and the electric field vector generated by a set of excited conductors inside a dielectric medium that could be linear or not. The chapter also discusses the mathematical formulation for 3D electrokinetics.
