ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE AND

COMPATIBILITY

By
Dr. Sisir K Das, Head of EMC
Chief Editor of EMC Journal, SEMCE(I)
2nd Cross Road, CIT Campus, Taramani
Chennai - 600 113
<sisirdas@hotmail.com>
SAMEER - Centre for Electromagnetics

DEFINITIONS
EMI:
is a phenomenon in which the production of RF energy
causes an unwanted response or malfunction in an
electronic equipment.
Sources:
Natural - Lightning, Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)
Manmade-Electric
switches,
high
power
communication /radar, transmitters, power lines,
automobiles,
Arc welders, computers and so on.
Victims:
Receivers, microprocessors, industrial controls, medical
devices, etc.
SAMEER - Centre for Electromagnetics

Electronic equipment is subjected to a variety of electromagnetic interference

sources. Careful design is required to guarantee compatibility with
environment- Intersystem EMI
Radio & TV
Broadcast
Lightning

Ship

Radar

Power Line
Handy
Talkie

Tele
communications

CE

RE
Ignition

Conducted noise
AC power circuit
SAMEER - Centre for Electromagnetics

Electric Motors

Mobile
Radio

EXAMPLE - Intersystem EMI

Electric field coupling
Magnetic field coupling

Antenna

Conductive coupling
Common impedance coupling
Oscillator

Speaker
RF
Amplifier

Mixer

IF
Amplifier

Detector

Audio
Amplifier
Power
Supply

SAMEER - Centre for Electromagnetics

NOISE COMPUTATION IN FREQUENCY

DOMAIN
A

2A

20dB/decade
2A f1 / f

T
tr

40dB/decade
2A f1 / f . f2 / f

tr
0

sinf sinftr
V = A ---------------f
ftr
is the width at 50% height
V is peak voltage
Frequency band is control by
fastest switching edge
SAMEER - Centre for Electromagnetics

1/

f1

f2
1/ tr

For 0f f1, V = 2 A
For f1 <f f2 ,V = 2A f1/f
For f > 1/tr
f1
f2
V = 2A ---- x ----f
f

A BASIC EMI SITUATION

EMI
Source
(Emitter)
Impedance?

Coupling
Path

Victim
of EMI

(Media)
Impedance?

(Receptor)
Impedance?

Voltage measuring device - high impedance circuit

Voltage generative device - high impedance circuit
E-field source/victim - high impedance circuit
Current measuring device - low impedance
Current generating device - low impedance
H-field source / victim - low impedance
SAMEER - Centre for Electromagnetics