Unfitted boundary algebraic equation method based on difference potentials and lattice Green's function in 3D

Abstract: This work presents an unfitted boundary algebraic equation (BAE) method for solving three-dimensional elliptic partial differential equations on complex geometries using finite difference on structured meshes. We demonstrate that replacing finite auxiliary domains with free-space LGFs streamlines the computation of difference potentials, enabling matrix-free implementations and significant cost reductions. We establish theoretical foundations by showing the equivalence between direct formulations in difference potentials framework and indirect single/double layer formulations and analyzing their spectral properties. The spectral analysis demonstrates that discrete double layer formulations provide better-conditioned systems for iterative solvers, similarly as in boundary integral method. The method is validated through matrix-free numerical experiments on both Poisson and modified Helmholtz equations in 3D implicitly defined geometries, showing optimal convergence rates and computational efficiency. This framework naturally extends to unbounded domains and provides a foundation for applications to more complex systems like Helmholtz and Stokes equations.