EMC / EMI

Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), Compatibility (EMC) and Environmental Effects (E3) are important considerations in any electronics product development and critical for systems integration. Products must legally comply with international EMC standards which have been developed to control conducted and radiated emissions from electrical and electronics systems. Products must not be susceptible, or conversely be immune, to electromagnetic interference such as Electrical Fast Transients (EFT) and Electrostatic Discharge (ESD). Furthermore, systems may be required to operate in severe electromagnetic environments such as lightning strikes, and withstand threats such as electromagnetic pulses (EMP). Trade-offs between EMC and competing design requirements presents major challenges to Engineers. Simulation enables problems to be identified and corrected early in design.

Modelling of EMC emissions

All electronic devices must pass EMC emission standards tests. These standards are handled by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or the Comit International Special Pertubations Radiolectriques (CISPR). The military has its own - significantly more stringent - standards and guidelines that are specified in MIL-STD-461E or MIL-STD-464. Electromagnetic simulation can help to ensure compliance already in the development stage. Correct EMC modeling must capture the important coupling mechanisms for conducted and radiated emissions. In many cases, a full 3D analysis is required in order to capture the stray fields coupling and the shielding effectiveness of enclosures. Furthermore, there is the possibility to split complex systems into smaller parts like Transmit PCB - Connector - Cable - Connector - Receive PCB, to calculate each part separately with specific solvers, and finally to cascade them in a network for a complete system analysis.

Susceptibility
Susceptibility, or immunity, is related to ensuring that the product will work in its intended environment without being disturbed. There are many different electromagnetic phenomena which a product could be exposed to, these could be continuous phenomena such as transmissions from nearby antenna masts, or transitory phenomena such as the noise introduced onto the mains due to the switching of a device (eg fridge).

During testing, the performance of the product is monitored to determine if the disturbance causes a degradation in performance - depending on the test being carried out, and the type of product being tested, the level of allowable degradation varies. This ranges from no degradation at all through to user intervention being required to return the device to full functionality. In terms of modelling, typically we would look at the level of signals coupled to cables or to connector pins, or received field strengths. The model can be subjected to both continuous and transitory disturbances. Through knowledge of the functionality and design of the product, the results can then be used to assess the likely impact on the performance. Different mitigation techniques, such as using transient suppressors or different shielding techniques, can also be assessed.

ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE (EMI) When electromagnetic energy from sources external or internal to electrical or electronic equipment affects that equipment adversely by causing it to have undesirable responses, such as degraded performance or malfunctions, the electromagnetic energy is called electromagnetic interference of EMI, and the adversely affected equipment is said to be susceptible to EMI. As explained below, EMI may leave a source or enter susceptible equipment by conduction, coupling, or radiation. Interference may occur between one part of the equipment and another, as between a power supply and nearby circuitry. EMI is conducted via signal lines, antenna leads, power cables, and even ground connections, between EMI sources and EMI-susceptible equipment. EMI is coupled between components, circuits, or equipment having some mutual impedance through which currents or voltages in one circuit can cause currents or voltages in the other circuit. The mutual impedance may be conductive, capacitive, inductive, or any combination of these. Conductive coupling frequently manifests itself as common-mode interference through a ground return used in common by two circuits. Capacitive coupling may similarly cause common-mode interference between two circuits that are not nominally connected. Inductive coupling may exist between two circuits having self-inductive elements, if mutual inductance exits between them. EMI is radiated through openings of any kind in equipment enclosures: ventilation, access, cable or meter holes; around the edges of doors, hatches, drawers, and panels; and through imperfect joints in the enclosures. EMI may also be radiated from leads and cables leaving a source, or picked up by leads and cables entering a susceptible device. (Note that any good radiator of electromagnetic energy is also a good absorber of electromagnetic energy, and that an EMI source any also be susceptible to EMI from another source.) ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY (EMC) Man-made EMI sources and nearby EMI-susceptible equipment may be made electromagnetically compatible by reducing the EMI from sources, by reducing the susceptibility of equipment, and by introducing attenuation in all EMI paths between sources and susceptible equipment. Reducing EMI from Sources. Figure 1a symbolizes a source of conducted and radiated EMI. Ideally, reduction of EMI should begin by designing the source so that it generates less EMI. The remaining EMI may then be contained within the enclosure by filtering and shielding. Filters inserted in each line at the point where it enters or leaves the enclosure, as in Figure 1b, will reduce conducted EMI. Radiated EMI may then be reduced by shielding, as in Figure 1c.

Reducing EMI Susceptibility. Figure 2a symbolizes an EMI-susceptible device. Total susceptibility may be reduced by designing the components and circuits so that the device is inherently less sensitive to EMI. Conductive susceptibility may then be reduced by inserting filters in each line at the point where it enters or leaves the enclosure, as in Figure 2b. Radiative susceptibility may then be reduced by shielding, as in Figure 2c.

SHIELDING PRINCIPLES The purpose of electromagnetic shields is to attenuate EMI between sources and susceptible equipment. One explanation of how shields work is that EMI fields induce circulation currents in the shields, and the fields set up by those circulating currents oppose the EMI fields, so that the net fields on the 'shielded' side are reduced. Another explanation is that

shields attenuate EMI fields by a combination of reflection and absorption. Regardless of which explanation is the more appealing, the principles of application of electromagnetic shields are the same. The law of reciprocity applies, whether the shield is thought of as containing EMI from a source, or excluding EMI from susceptible equipment. For a shielded source, the EMI level outside the shield will be greatly reduced below the level inside the shield, and all susceptible equipment will be benefited; for shielded equipment, EMI from external sources will be reduced to much lower levels inside the shield than the level outside the shield, and only the particular shielded equipment benefited. When an electromagnetic wave impinges on a shield some of its energy is reflected at the first surface of the shield, some is absorbed by the shield, and some is transmitted through the shield. (Some energy may also be reflected at the second surface of the shield.)