When the physical structure is excited by a plane wave source, the calculated far field data indeed represent the scattered fields. EM.Cube calculates the radar cross section (RCS) of a target, which is defined in the following manner:
:<math>\sigma_{\theta} = 4\pi r^2 \dfrac{ \big| \mathbf{E}_{\theta}^{scat} \big| ^2} {\big| \mathbf{E}^{inc} \big|^2}, \quad\sigma_{\phi} = 4\pi r^2 \dfrac{ \big| \mathbf{E}_{\phi}^{scat} \big| ^2} {\big| \mathbf{E}^{inc} \big|^2}, \quad\sigma = \sigma_{\theta} + \sigma_{\phi} = 4\pi r^2 \dfrac{ \big| \mathbf{E}_{tot}^{scat} \big| ^2} {\big| \mathbf{E}^{inc} \big|^2}</math><!--[[File:FDTD130.png]]-->
Three RCS quantities are computed: the θ and φ components of the radar cross section as well as the total radar cross section, which are dented by σ<sub>θ</sub>, σ<sub>φ</sub>, and σ<sub>tot</sub>. In addition, EM.Cube's [[PO Module]] calculates two types of RCS for each structure: '''Bi-Static RCS''' and '''Mono-Static RCS'''. In bi-static RCS, the structure is illuminated by a plane wave at incidence angles θ<sub>0</sub> and φ<sub>0</sub>, and the RCS is measured and plotted at all θ and φ angles. In mono-static RCS, the structure is illuminated by a plane wave at incidence angles θ<sub>0</sub> and φ<sub>0</sub>, and the RCS is measured and plotted at the echo angles 180°-θ<sub>0</sub>; and φ<sub>0</sub>. It is clear that in the case of mono-static RCS, the PO simulation engine runs an internal angular sweep, whereby the values of the plane wave incidence angles θ and φ are varied over the entire intervals [0°, 180°] and [0°, 360°], respectively, and the backscatter RCS is recorded.