Section 1

Introduction to EMC

44 slides Jul. 2018

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 Electromagnetic Interference
EMI

• Noise or Undesirable Electromagnetic energy

• Causes undesirable effects in circuits.
• A subject not commonly taught or discussed

• Until it causes problems

• Fact: Knowledge of how noise is generated and how it

propagates helps an engineer to design a better product.

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 EMI Situation

Source Propagation Victim

medium

Electromagnetic Transmitted via Undesirable effects

energy generated conductor or air at the receptor

• The source (culprit) and the receptor (victim) may be in the same
system (intra-system) or in two different systems (inter-system).

• In either case, the electromagnetic energy causes undesirable

effects in the receptor circuit.

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 History of EMC
• RFI- Radio Frequency Interference - was the result of unwanted
noise first recognized as a problem due to electromagnetic
energy. This problem was mostly in the 15 kHz to 1000 MHz
(RF) range and so referred to as RFI.

• EMI - Electromagnetic Interference - then it was recognized that

the interference could be at any frequency DC to 300 GHz.

• EMC - Electromagnetic Compatibility - become common with the

recognition that neither the source of the electromagnetic
energy nor the receptor circuit really bears the responsibility for
interference. It is the compatibility of any equipment with its
intended working environment.

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 EMI Effects
• From nuisance to disaster.

TV, radio or telephone interference.

Computer crash.
Automated system malfunction.
Sprinkler controller reset.

• A common characteristic:
“It is disaster if interferes with me”.

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 Computer Crash

• Some times not recognized

as the effect of noise. o o

• Computer can crash due to

- conducted noise or
- radiated noise.
- transient or CW.

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 Serious Effects

Error in ATM or malfunction of information storage.

Aeronautical communication or control.
Cardiac pacemaker or other medical device malfunction.

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 Whose Problem Is It?
Source or Victim?

• Generally, the Regulatory agencies make rules.

Sometimes it is not easy to determine whose problem.
• Example:
1. An approved 2 way radio transmitter causes interference
in automobile control which complies with its
requirements.
2. An FCC approved device interferes with aircraft
navigation.

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 Reason for Signal Degradation

• There can be many reasons for signal degradation.

• Non-linear device (semiconductor, inductor or resistor).
• Power fluctuations (Power Integrity).
• Distortion due to reflections (Signal Integrity).
• Noise from other devices.

• Q.1: Is this EMI or a design problem?

• Q.2: How did the noise get in or out?

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 Is EMC Difficult?

• EMC is considered very difficult to understand.

• Sometimes it is considered magical.
• Factors:
• Order of magnitude change.
• Types of circuit: Analog, digital, power, RF
• Electromagnetic fields are invisible
• Stray capacitors, inductors
• Seems _____ Beyond analysis
• Noise transmission is not understood
• Used to lumped parameters

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 Example: Noise went up with shield!
Noise generation in a digital system

I/O cable

Power Cable
Noise source

• In a digital system noise is generated unintentionally.

• The system enclosure can provide noise suppression or make it
a resonating cavity. (Sec. 4).

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 Noise Propagation

I/O cable Noise

Escaping
the wall

Opening
Power Cable

Noise source

• Some noise can escape through the wall. (Sec. 5).

• The noise can leak through the seams and openings.

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 Noise Propagation On Cables

Internal cable
couples noise to
circuits

Cable
conducts
noise out
Noise source

• Cables (Sec. 6) allow the noise

• - To propagate into the system
- To propagate out of the system

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 Definition of dB (decibel)
• IT IS A UNIT OF POWER RATIO :
It is logarithm of ratio for power.
It is used for voltage and current noise ratios.
With two assumptions:
• 1. You are referring to power; and
• 2. The load remains unchanged.

• Bel = log ( P 2 / P 1 )
dB = 10 log (P 2 / P 1 )
= 20 log (V 2 / V 1 ), since P = V 2 / R
= 20 log (I 2 / I 1 ), since P = I 2 R

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 Why Use Decibel
• Allows use of smaller numbers for large ratios
• Numbers in dB can simply be added or subtracted.

Voltage Ratio Power Ratio dB (App.)

1 1 0
2 4 6
3 10 10
4 16 --
5 25 14
6 36 --
7 49 17
8 64 --
9 81 19
10 100 --
30 1000 30

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 Basic Concepts And Units

• Conducted noise is measured as voltage or current

Units are : Volts, Micro volt, dBuV, dBuV/ MHz or
Amperes, Microampere, dBuA, dBuA/ MHz

• Radiated noise is measured as E or H field strength

Units are : uV/ meter or dBuV/ meter or
uA/ meter or dBuA/ meter

• The voltage or current levels per MHz are used for

broadband noise measurements.

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 Radiated Noise - E Field

• DC electric field is generated

by the presence of a charge
• Gauss's law:
Q E
E = Q/ (4 ε R²) R

• Electric field is generated by + -

charges on parallel plates + -
+ -
E = voltage / distance
+ E -
+ -

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 Radiated Noise - H - Field

• MAGNETIC FIELD
• DC magnetic field is generated by a current
• Ampere's Law:
H = I / (2  R ) Amp / m
B = µ0 I / (2  R) Weber / m2

R
I
B

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 Power Density

• Power density PD is the total

Power propagating per unit area.

• PD =
E
E x H watts/ m2

PD

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 Changing "E" To "H" Fields
• According to Maxwell's equations:
Time varying E or H field generates the other field.

• Ampere's law (extended by Maxwell) :

Integral of B. dl = µ0 ( i + ε0 (dE / dt) )

• Faraday's law of induction: Flux

Integral of E. dl = - (dB / dt)

Integral around the area

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 Electric And Magnetic Sources
E-field Transition
region
ZW =E/H
Plane wave
(far field)

H-field
1
Distance normalized to l/2

• Wave Impedance = Zw = E / H
• Near the source the wave has strong E or H field
• In the far field, E = ZC H
where ZC is the characteristic impedance of the medium.
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 How Much Power Can Be Radiated
• FCC limit for Class B is 40 dB µV/m at 3 m.
(For 30 MHz - 88 MHz)
P R
• At any frequency, the power density limit
= PD = H2 Z = E2 / Z
PD
= E2 / 120 
Even if we assume uniform emissions
in all directions, the maximum power at the source is
P = PD 4  R2 (where, 4  R2 is the area of the
sphere)
= (0.1 mV) 2 x 4 x 9 / 120 Ohm
= 3 x 10-9 watts

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How Much Power Can Be Radiated (cont.)
• So at any frequency we can radiate 3 nW
• Within the measurement BW (100KHz). P R
• Assuming uniform distribution,
It would be 3nW x 1000 MHz/100 kHz PD
• If we assume uniform emissions in all directions

• So the maximum energy radiated can be 30 mW

• Q1: What are the typical energy levels in a circuit?

• Q2: Where does the energy go?

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 Modes of Noise Transmission
Noise
Transmission

Radiated Noise Via Conductor

Far Field Near Field Conductive by Common

Electromagnetic Impedance

Electric Magnetic
1. Purpose: Prevent the noise by knowing how it propagates.
2. Generally, the noise is observed in mixed modes.
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 Narrow And Broadband Noise
Noise

Receiver
Bandwidth

Shaded area is the energy measured by the receiver

• Narrow band - Measured output not dependent on receiver

bandwidth (BW)
• Broadband - Measured output increases with receiver BW.
• Broadband Emissions can be:
Coherent - Has direct linear relationship to BW.
Incoherent - Increases with square root of receiver BW.
• Narrow band and broadband are relative terms based on receiver.

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 Broadband Signal

• Broad band signal is spread

over a wide frequency band.
• Same level amplitude

Amplitude
broadband signal has more
energy.
• Therefore, the same
amplitude is more likely to
cause interference.
Frequency

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 Common Mode & Differential Noise
Voltage or Current

Signal
EUT Differential Noise
Return

Signal
EUT Common-mode Noise
Return

• Differential noise is out of phase in the signal and return

conductor.
• Common mode noise is in phase in the two conductors.

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 Measuring Common Mode Current
• Common mode current can be measured by a current
probe around signal and return conductor.

• Differential current can be measured by passing the

return conductor in the opposite direction.

To EMI Meter
Signal
EUT Return

Current probe To EMI Meter

Signal
EUT Return

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 Noise Energy Distribution Curve
100%
90%
Common mode
Percent Energy

Differential
20% mode
10%

10k 100k 1MHz 10MHz 100MHz

• This curve is for a specific power supply circuit.

However, it illustrates a general trend of how most noise
appears as common mode as frequency increases.
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 Filter Capacitors
• Differential capacitor is between the lines.

EUT Differential Noise

Common-mode Noise
EUT

Common mode capacitor has to take the noise to a quiet ground.

The common mode noise has no effect due to the differential
capacitor. The differential noise (or even signal) is affected by the
common mode filter capacitors.

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 Planned Approach For EMI
• The best way to approach EMI problem is early in design phase.
This way one can achieve timely compliance in the most cost
effective manner.

• Planned approach can save time and reduce cost.

• The correct order of steps for EMI Compliance :

Plan -> Design -> Test

• The additional design effort and cost can be saved many times
over in production for high volume products.

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 What Is Involved In Planning
• Planning requires learning how energy travels
In circuits and In space

• It also required to know how to stop the energy or noise

transmission and coupling from one circuit to another.
Shielding
Filtering
Grounding
Transmission lines
Education about the noise makes a better circuit or system
designer.

• The knowledge must be acquired and applied.

• Planning requires time and effort.

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 Antennas

• Antennas convert bound circuit field into electromagnetic wave.

• Antennas also pick up energy from electromagnetic field.

• Antennas, some times are present - even though not wanted.

• Antennas are undesirable in EMC - because they couple noise.

• Types of Antennas
Voltage Antennas
Current Antennas

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 Voltage Antennas
• Emission is E- field and is proportional to the voltage of the antenna.
• Noise radiation is proportional to the length of the conductor.
• The optimum length is l/4 where l is the wavelength of the signal.

Examples :
1. Signal traces.
2. I/ O cables.
3. Power cable.

• Noise pick up (voltage) is proportional to the E- field.

• It is also proportional to length of the conductor, up to l/4.

• At higher frequencies, even short length conductors emit efficiently.

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 Frequency And Wavelength
• C = F x l where,
C = velocity of light = 3 x 108 m/ second,
F = frequency and
l = wavelength

Frequency l l /4 l/20

500 kHz 600 m 150m 30m

1 MHz 300 m 75 m 15 m
10 MHz 30 m 7.5 m 1.5 m
100 MHz 3m 75 cm 15 cm
300 MHz 1m 25 cm 5 cm
3 GHz 10 cm 2.5 cm 0.5 cm

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 Ever Increasing Speed
• Higher speed means higher frequency.

• Digital signals have harmonic content.

1978 -- a personal computer used 1 MHz clock
1983 -- 4.7 MHz PC
1998 -- 300 MHz became common
2001 -- 1.5 GHz in stores.
Today _____in store!

• Manufacturers plan to introduce 1250 Gb/s networking devices.

Researchers boast about device switching speed of ______ GHz.

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 Current Antennas
• The noise emission is proportional to the area of the current
carrying loop as well as the current level.

• Examples :
1. Signal and return traces.
2. Power distribution traces.
3. Ground loops.

• The induced voltage noise (pick up) in the loop equals

number of turns times the rate of change of flux.
e = N (d/ dt)
In a transformer, several turns (N) are used;
to eliminate the coupling, N or  must be zero.

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 Noise Generated By
Current Antenna dL

I
• dB = µ0 I dL x R / ( 4  |R|2 ) dB

(dB, dL and R are vectors)

• The field transmitted by a current element is given by

Biot-Savart Law or Ampere's Law for current element.

• The total field at any point is determined by the integral of

the field over the entire loop. Magnetic field inside the loop
adds due to the elements on the opposite sides. The field
outside the loop tends to cancel.
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 Transmitting Loop

Case 1
B

Case 2

• The analysis of the total field due to a current loop of an arbitrary

shape may require a computer. However, the field due to a
rectangular loop is easier to analyze.
• Within the loop, the magnetic field due to opposite sides adds.
• At any point outside the loop, the magnetic fields due to the
opposite currents partially cancel each other.
• The closer the opposite sides of the loop, better the cancellation.
Therefore, outside the loop, the net flux changes with loop area.

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 Fields In A Coaxial Cable
The direction of flow of energy --→
E

• The signal energy is between the center conductor and the

shield. No energy is outside the coaxial cable.
• The E- field is in radial direction as it travels.
• The H- field is in concentric lines around the center conductor.
• Uniformly distributed inductance and capacitance between the
shield and the center conductor.

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 Energy Is Not In Conductors
• The electromagnetic energy is in the space around the
conductors.

• Even in the circuit, the energy is stored only in the capacitors,

inductors, etc. (resistance or conductivity not considered.)

• Energy in inductor = 1/2 L i2

• Energy in capacitor = 1/2 C v2

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 Faraday Cage
Q ++++++++++++++++
x

+++++++++

+++++++++
E Q

++++++++++++++++

• No field inside. No external field.

The conductive solid enclosure prevents the external electric

field from penetrating to the inner region and vice versa.
• The conductive enclosure may be of any shape and the charge
may be located anywhere inside the enclosure.
• This is "Electrostatic" simplification of the electromagnetic
Faraday cage.

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 Symbols Used*
A - Area l - wave length
B - Magnetic Flux density L - inductance
C - Capacitance µ - magnetic permeability
D - distance  - magnetic or electric flux lines
E - Electric field strength Q - electric charge
ε - dielectric constant R - resistance
F - frequency T - time period for periodic signal
H - Magnetic field strength V - voltage
i – current Z – impedance
j - unit imaginary number

* Unless specified otherwise

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 References
• 1. Engineering Electromagnetics-William H. Hayt: Jr. McGraw-Hill, 1989.
• 2. Electromagnetic Wave Theory- James Wait: Harper and Row, 1985
• 3. Faults and Failures - EMI in the Sky- Linda Gappert.
IEEE Spectrum February 1994.
• 4. Physics- Part II- Pages 690-698 and pages 959-962-
David Halliday and Robert Resnick: John Wiley and Sons, Inc. 1966.
• 5. EMC in Automotive Apps- R. W. Bienert: Conformity, Sept. 2004.
• 6. A Historical Perspective on the FCC Rules for Digital Devices and a
Look to the Future –Art Wall: Conformity February 2005
• 7. The Precious Radio Spectrum”-Robert W. Lucky: IEEE Spectrum,
September 2001.

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