Approximation of the Wave and the Electromagnetic Diffusion Equations by Spectral Method. F. Ben Belgacem and M. Grundmann Abstract: The aim of this paper is to describe a variational spectral solver of the three dimensional operator $(I + \rot\rot)$ we often meet when dealing with Maxwell's problem. We realize a mathematical study proving the optimality of such an algorithm and we make a complexity analysis showing its efficiency. Then, we present some applications to time--dependant partial differential equations issued from Maxwell's model. accepte dans SIAM J. on Scient. Comp.