EMC Concepts Explained

The fundamental circuit background is presented and illustrated by the resonance phenomenon in the non-ideal models of passive circuit components: capacitors, ferrite beads, resistors, and inductors.

This article discusses the reflections on a transmission line terminated with either an RL or an RC load.

This article discusses the current distribution for the stripline configurations.

This article discusses the distribution of a PCB return current underneath top trace for the microstrip configuration. Next month’s article will discuss the distribution for the stripline configurations.

This article discusses the common-mode and differential-mode radiation from cables and presents the measurement results from the SMPS connecting wires.

This article discusses the basics of a step-down (buck) DC Switched-Mode Power Supply (SMPS). It should serve at an entry-level tutorial and a building step towards the more advanced designs.

Part II of this two-article series focuses on log-periodic and biconical antenna impedance, VSWR, and radiated emissions measurements.

This two-article series is devoted to a dipole family of antennas used in EMC testing: half-wave dipole, quarter-wave monopole, log-periodic, and biconical antenna.

This article discusses the origins, justification, and interrelations between some of basic EMC rules regarding the highest significant frequency (bandwidth) present in digital signals, definition of the electrically short structures, and the transmission line criterion.

We investigate two four-layer PCBs with power and ground plane pairs spaced 3 mils and 30 mils apart.