Practical EMI Troubleshooting

Overview
EMI/EMC Definitions
Radiated and Conducted Emissions
Pre-compliance vs. compliance
Basic configurations

Pre-Compliance Scanning
Instrument Architectures
FFT-based Spectrum Analysis
Visibility and Speed

Debugging EMI Issues

Correlation of EMI to other signals and events
Measuring RF power
Near field vs. far field

Summary
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EMI/EMC Definitions
Regulations
Country/Region
Industrial/Consumer
Military

Conducted Emissions
Unwanted signals coupled to AC mains

Radiated Emissions
Unwanted signals broadcast from DUT

Susceptibility/Immunity
Region dependent

Intentional Radiator
Spectrum Emission Mask
Power Limits
Harmonic Content

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Conducted Measurements
EMI receiver
CISPR 16-1-1
Software
Line Impedance Stabilization Network (LISN)
Isolate DUT from mains
Limiter
Front end protection for instrument

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Radiated Measurements
EMI receiver
CISPR 16-1-1

EMI software
RF Isolation
Characterized anechoic chamber

Open-air test site

Turntable
Antennas

Characterize emissions 360 around DUT

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EMI Characterization
Compliance Measurements Test House
Often used to avoid expense of setting up in-house lab
Expensive $$
Time consuming
Will report an EMI failures, but not how to fix them !

Pre-Compliance Measurements In House

Test for EMI issues throughout the design process
Catch problems early, before them become bigger $$ later
You still need to go to a EMI test house
Save time in product development cycle

EMI Pre-Compliance testing will save time/money by identifying

problem areas before they become expensive re-design issues

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Pre-Compliance Scanning
EMI Pre-Compliance Scanning Checklist
Chamber or test site ?
Boardroom - Parking garage
Outside ?

Antenna requirements
Biconical - Pre-amp
Log-periodic - Tripod

Substitute spectrum analyzer for EMI receiver

RBW -Trace Points
Dwell Time - Detectors
Antenna factors - Environment Corrections

It is very difficult to duplicate EMI lab conditions

We are making an accurate approximation
We need to understand the variables in the equipment

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Setting Up A Conducted Pre-Compliance Test

Utilize a metallic surface which Limiter may be required

can be grounded
Make sure the instrument can
Line Impedance Stabilization accommodate gain/loss
Network corrections

Pre-amp may be required

RF USB
Optional
Building Optional LISN Pre-amp
Power Filter DUT
Power
Prefer metallic
ground plane
 Setting Up A Radiated Pre-Compliance Test
Identify an area with natural RF Non metallic platform for DUT
shielding We need to look at 360 around DUT
Basements Tripod/pre-amp optional but
Parking garages recommended
Watch out for DAS
Used to help cellular coverage
0 to 1 meter

RF USB
DUT Optional
Pre-amp

Non-metallic
DUT platform
Do I Need An EMI Receiver ?
EMI receiver are designed specifically for spectrum sweeping
RBW
Shape
Bandwidth
Detectors
Peak
Average
Quasi-Peak

Pre-selected RF tuning stages

User defined dwell time per step

Detailed requirements in CISPR 16-1-1

For Pre-Compliance We Dont Have To Use A Special Receiver

We are making an accurate approximation
Understand the compromises in the measurements

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Swept-Tune Instrument Design

Traditional architecture
Good dynamic range
Good sensitivity
Built in measurements
Models available across a wide price/performance range
Low Cost Real-Time Spectrum
Analyzer

USB controlled/powered
High speed spectrum measurements
Good dynamic range
Good sensitivity
Built in spectral mask testing
Built in power measurements
Built in EMI/EMC measurement testing
Scope Block Diagram

Acquisition Micro- Display

Amp A/D Memory processor Memory Display

Wide capture bandwidth

Large selection probes
Optimized for voltage measurements
Gated/Scope FFT
Limited RBW
Limited detectors
Limited dynamic range
Limited sensitivity
Limited speed
Cannot match RF performance of even basic spectrum analyzer

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Spectrum Analyzer Sweep Speed
Sweep speed is dependent
RBW width
# trace points

Cross-over is between
100kHz and 30kHz

FFT Analyzers are typically Examples:

1GHz SPAN with 10kHz RBW
dramatically faster when Swept: 25 seconds
FFT: 2.6 seconds
RBW < 30kHz 200MHz SPAN, with 1kHz RBW
Swept: 500 seconds
FFT: 5.2 seconds
Remember:
Dwell time is required for EMI
detectors
More sweep points = more accuracy

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 Spectrum Analyzer Sweep Speed
EMI Detector types
EMI-Peak (or Peak)
pixel n pixel n+1
Worst case
s1 s2 s3 s4 s5 s6 s6 s8 s1 s2 s3 s4 s5 s6 s6 s8
Safest detector

EMI-Average
Incorporates dwell
~100ms common
positive peak
EMI-Quasi-Peak sample
Incorporates dwell negative peak

~1second
VERY long sweep times

Filter Shape Factor

EMI RBW More selective
BW measured at -6dB points

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Pre-Compliance Scan Frequency
Ranges

Up to 20 ranges Absolute measurements

CISPR/MIL RBW Relative measurements

Variable detection thresholds Standards pre-defined

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Pre-Compliance Scan Path
Loss/Gain
Compensate for path
gain/loss
Be careful of antenna
factor vs gain/loss
Up to 3 different tables at
one time

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Pre-Compliance Scan Tektronix RSA306

30 MHz 6.2 GHz Shaded area = limit

128,004 Trace Points Auto ID limit failures

~ 7s (CISPR Peak)

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Intentional Radiator Testing
Intentional Radiator Testing
For devices that transmit RF
energy
WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee

In-Band Channel Power

Integrated channel power
Defined by standards body

Out of Band Channel Power

Power outside channel BW
Commonly defined with a mask

Specific hardware & software

requirements

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Module Test HW/SW Requirements
HW Interface
Integrated version
Shipping configuration
Access version
Direct RF connection

SW Interface
Radio control interface
Drivers
.ini, terminal
Manual radio control
Channel
Power
Timing/duty cycle
Modulation

Monitoring ?
Operational Setup

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Spectrum Emission Mask
Measure with DUT directly connected to spectrum analyzer
No antenna !

Mask is relative on-channel power

EUT is in operational state

Must be able to check all modes of operation
Must be able to operate on all frequencies

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Example: Spectrum Emission Mask

RSA306 (40 MHz RT BW)

Gated Spectrum Emission Mask
Integrated Channel Power

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Example: WiFi Single Snap Shot

PvT Constellation
SEM EVM
Multi-domain markers Mix time & frequency

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Trouble Shooting EMI Problems
De-Bugging EMI Issues
Switching Power Supplies
Switching frequencies and harmonics
Load-dependent emissions

Clock and Data

High speed clocks, data, edges
High speed interfaces
Switching controls

Resonances
Board and conductor geometries ADC DAC
WLAN
Wiring lengths, routing, termination ASIC

Shielding and mechanical connections

RAM

Microprocessor
Radiated EMI problems are defined by
Sources Radio

Antennas

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De-Bugging EMI Issues Near Field Probing
E-Field
Stub
High voltage, low current source
Max sensitivity perpendicular to source

H-Field
Loop
Low voltage, high current source
Max sensitivity parallel to source

Isolate sources of energy

Measure relative changes

Be Careful

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Multiple Domains In One Instrument
MDO4000 Mixed Domain Oscilloscope
21 Inputs All Time Correlated
Spectrum Analyzer
Oscilloscope
Basic Logic Analyzer

Wide Band Spectrum Analyzer

9kHz-3/6GHz
Sensitive/wide band
Record RF

Correlate Spectrum With

Voltage
Current
Logic

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Dedicated Hardware Optimized for Analog & RF
Computation
Independent & Display
Time Correlated I Q
Computation Record Length
& Display DDC

Memory Memory
Acquisition
Control A/D
A/D A/D A/D A/D
10GSs
Block
Trigger Down
converter
GLOBAL
 Time Correlated Multi-Domain Display
The amount of Analog Time
time captured in
the top is referred
to as Analog Time

Time Domain
The orange bar is
referred to as
Spectrum Time

The orange bar

Frequency Domain

indicates the time

Spectrum Time
period for the
spectrum from RF
input

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Time Correlated Multi-Domain Display

Simple Radio
SPI bus turns on the
transmitter

PLL voltage controls

frequency

Watch as radio turns

on and changes
channel

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Example: Switch Mode Power Supply

RF : P6158
DC-DC
converter output
Spectrogram
shows PSD over
time

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Example: Switched Class D Amp

RF: H-field probe

Amp vs. Time

Spectrum display

Power Vs. Time Peaks

Correlated To
Spectrum Content

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Example: Switched Class D Amp
RF: H-field probe

Ch1 = Switch signal (HR)

Spectrum

Direct Correlation

Spectrum Peaks On
Rising/Falling Edges
Of Switch Control

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Example: USB Interference
RF: H-field probe (USB cable interface)

CH1: USB HS line

Direct Correlation

Spectral peak occurs during burst

Narrow & Broad level changes

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EMI Diagnostics Tektronix MDO4000
Spectrum Analyzer
Far field antennas
Near Field RF Probes
Passive Probes
50ohm and Z0 divider probes
Active Probes
Single-ended and differential
Current probes

Oscilloscope analog channels

Wideband passive high-Z probes
(all of the above)

Digital channels
Integrated digital probe
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Advanced EMI Diagnostics: Tektronix RTSA

Full span available

User defined step and dwell time
>> Probability of intercept

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Advanced EMI Diagnostics: Tektronix RTSA

Parallel spectrum engines

Fast & Wide DPX
Narrow & Deep

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EMI Diagnostics: Tektronix RTSA + ?
Trigger on signal using frequency mask trigger
Seamless capture into memory
Cross-trigger other instruments for root cause debug

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Advanced EMI Diagnostics Board Level Scanning
APREL Inc. EM-iSight

Automated scan, single near-field

probe, 20 GHz coverage

Far-field estimation

www.aprel.com

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Summary
EMI diagnostics and troubleshooting of modern designs presents
unique challenges whats in your product ?
Pre-compliance scanning will save $$$ and time

Be careful of the tools you select, know the limitations

Near-field scanning can pinpoint trouble areas

Analysis in multiple, time-correlated domains speeds

troubleshooting and debugging

Real-Time Spectrum Analysis can provide deeper insight to

transient phenomenon

Coincidence is KEY to identifying sources of EMI

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Thank you!

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