Sjoerd Op 't Land

Using a Modified Taylor Cell to Validate Simulation and Measurement of Field-to-Shorted-Trace Coupling

Predicting the immunity of electronic boards to radiated electromagnetic interference requires the computation of the coupling efficiency of an electromagnetic field to PCB traces. In the case of complex PCBs, full-wave electromagnetic solvers are convenient, yet at the expense of simulation time. Therefore, this paper introduces the extension of a modified Taylor-based analytical model to the case of traces terminated at one end by a noncharacteristic impedance. This model makes it possible to determine the far-field-to-trace coupling using only a sum of closed-form equations. When applied to a shorted, meandered PCB trace, it was found to be as precise as 2.2 dB average absolute error with respect to GTEM measurements, which demonstrates its relevance for immunity prediction. Moreover, the full-wave simulation of this case study was validated using the extended model and found to be as precise as 1.4 dB average absolute error.

Determination of Equivalent Coupling Surface of Passive Components Using the TEM Cell

The design of cheaper and more compact electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) filters can be achieved by exploiting the magnetic coupling between components. This requires the knowledge of coupling coefficients between components and, consequently, of their equivalent coupling surface. The aim of this paper is to present how this coupling surface can be determined using a transverse electromagnetic mode cell. This methodology is described and applied to two different cases: a capacitor and an inductor. In order to validate the determination and usage of equivalent coupling surfaces, a comparison between the calculation and measurement of mutual inductances is carried out on practical examples.

Field-to-Long-Segmented-Trace Coupling With Arbitrary Loads and a Transparent Upper Bound Using a Single Modified Taylor Cell

In modern electronic products, the printed circuit board (PCB) traces may well form the dominant coupling path in radiated immunity problems. Therefore, an understanding of the designable parameters that influences the worst-case induced voltages can be of use to the PCB designer, together with rapid simulations. Therefore, a modified single (unmeshed) Taylor cell is combined with the transmission line theory to predict the terminal voltages induced by a grazing, vertically polarized plane wave, incident on a multisegment trace with arbitrary terminal impedances. The resulting model is closed form and therefore suitable for rapid simulations. Furthermore, the model is geometrically approximated to provide understanding on how designable PCB parameters determine the worst-case induced voltage. Finally, the model is compared to measurement results.

Design of a Wideband Multiplexer for Direct Power Injection on Non-DC Functional Signals

This letter describes the design and implementation of a wideband radio frequency-baseband multiplexer. This device makes it possible to superimpose radio frequency noise to a functional baseband signal with controlled and repeatable transfer characteristics. The baseband path has a measured dc-380 MHz bandwidth, while the radio frequency path (up to 1 W) has a 150 kHz-5 GHz bandwidth. This multiplexer can be used for electromagnetic conducted immunity testing of digital and mixed-signal devices.

FastImmunity: An EDA extension for PCB immunity prediction

Predicting the immunity of printed circuit boards (PCBs) to radiated electromagnetic interference (EMI) requires the computation of the electromagnetic fields coupling to PCB traces. A modified Taylor-based analytical model exists developed and validated for PCBs immunity prediction. In this paper, we present the methodology of development of an electronic design automation (EDA) extension for Altium Designer based on the prediction model. The developed extension allows PCB designers to have further insight on PCBs immunity during design phase and implements a unique electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) feature compared to existing EMC tools.

Modified Kron's Method (MKME) for EMC optimization, applied to an EMC filter

In filter design, inter-component parasitic couplings play a major role in the filter response. Most often, filter designers try to minimize these couplings through a proper implementation of components; conversely, this paper aims to optimize filter responses through a clever use of these couplings. Previous works have been performed to reach such an objective ([1]-[2]), focusing on the study of LC filters with 3D simulation or PSpice techniques. Moreover, the MKME method has been identified as a promising technique in many design cases. The objective of this paper is to introduce the application of the MKME method to an LC filter, to validate its use and benefits, before deploying it for more complex filter structures.