Measuring the fMAX of Integrated Circuits (ICs)

Dec 13, 2023

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by Keith Armstrong

Quickly designing cost-effective SI, PI, and EMC requires prior knowledge of the highest frequencies the ICs we want to use can generate, or be susceptible to, which I call f MAX.

fMAX is continually increasing – risking EMC compliance in serial manufacture.

Test gear demonstrated at EMC & CI 2024 can easily measure IC EMC data, whether we want world-class, or the lowest cost. Many exhibitors’ stands will be demonstrating real EMC measurements and encourage ‘hands-on’ participation.

IEC 61967 and IEC 62132 specify IC EMC tests, see the list below.

If their results aren’t available for the ICs we want to use, many EMC labs can measure them, or we can set-up to test them ourselves. We can quickly and easily measure f MAX at very low cost, see figures 1 and 2.

Measuring IC Radiated Emissions

IEC 61967-2, TEM Cell methods

IEC TS 61967-3, Surface Scan method

IEC 61967-8, IC Stripline method

Measuring IC Conducted Emissions

IEC 61967-4, 1 ohm/150 ohm Direct Coupling method

IEC 61967-5, Workbench Faraday Cage method

IEC 61967-6 +AMD1, Magnetic Probe method

Measuring IC Radiated Immunity

IEC 62132-2, TEM cell methods

IEC 62132-8, IC stripline method

IEC TS 62132-9, Surface scan method

Measuring IC Conducted Immunity

IEC 62132-4, Direct RF power injection method

IEC 62132-5, Workbench Faraday cage method

Editor’s note:

To keep up to date with press material, opinion-focused blogs, and case studies from EMC & Compliance International 2024, visit https://www.emcandci.com/news1.

About EMC and Compliance International 2024:

This public event is a collaboration of industry experts Keith Armstrong of Cherry Clough Consultants Ltd, and Dr Min Zhang of Mach One Design; the owners of EMgineering Ltd and www.emcstandards.co.uk.

It is a re-branding and re-launching of the very successful EMC-UK annual events held at Newbury Racecourse for many years pre-Covid.

EMCstandards.co.uk aims to be the definitive global web portal for information on EMC and other technical compliance issues, to encourage the design and development of better, more profitable electronic products, equipment, and systems, by the use of very practical methods that are well-understood and well-proven in real life.