Min Zhang

This article offers some useful insights and guidelines on how to effectively design and test systems using wide band gap devices to optimize product performance and achieve EMC compliance.

Power supply manufacturers often struggle with resonance peaks in conducted emission tests that filtering can't eliminate. Learn how to locate noise sources using RF current probes and near-field probes, plus effective mitigation strategies.

When it comes to in-situ radiated emission measurements, the combination of near- and far-field measurements is often the best approach.

Don't let your benchtop spectrum analyzer become an expensive paperweight. These four essential tips will help you avoid common mistakes that damage equipment, improve your EMI measurements, and spot hidden noise sources during troubleshooting work.

Many individual components in electrical and electronic systems and devices are integrated into systems that are required to function as a whole. Examples of such systems include large electric vehicles, fixed industrial installations, novel scientific products such as quantum computers, and more. There are two EMC-related aspects to consider: intra-system EMC and inter-system EMC. This article focuses on the intra-system EMC aspect while also considering the inter-system aspect.

Engineers can now reproduce expensive bulk current injection (BCI) test failures using a simple homemade "flying" probe with capacitive coupling. This cost-effective alternative enables pre-compliance EMC immunity testing in any lab, helping identify and fix automotive module communication issues without specialized high-power equipment.

Most EMI issues are caused by a resonance that is excited somewhere in the system. It may be a resonance of a cable acting as an antenna or a heatsink energized by the power electronics switches bolted to it, becoming a good radiator. In this article, we look at the indicators that signal the presence of structural resonances and provide techniques for fixing the EMI issues. Practical case studies are presented to demonstrate the techniques.

An AM radio can be useful for finding both radiated emissions and ESD events. Understanding how radio works is essential for engineers to use this low-cost technology to troubleshoot complex EMI issues.

Implementing a process of EMC compliance for a specific project is much more than simply ensuring that the design engineers follow a long list of “do’s and don’ts” in the form of EMC design rules. Following this process will reap benefits when EMC performance is evaluated at the end of the design process.

In this column, the author offers a brief summary of a more systematic approach for using ferrite cores on cables. This summary can serve as a “ferrite core checklist” for design and test engineers.