Papers
This page points you towards various items of interest to EMC engineers. They are provided entirely free as a service to the EMC and wider electronics communities. NB most of our papers older than year 2000 have been archived, but are still available, contact us if there's a specific one you want.

There's a separate page for Mathcad sheets, PLT and other projects.

Organized into headings:
Designing for EMC Revised in January 2010, a noddy guide to good EMC design practice of electronic circuits.
Analysing the effects of the EFT/B test (ppt)

Analysis and prediction of EFT/B immunity
A presentation made at the IEEE-EMCS UKRI meeting at Amberley in April 2018, and a companion expanded paper (which will be extended), looks at how structural parasitics affect the coupling of the EFT Burst pulse, and shows how these can be modelled in Spice, with experimental results
Filter components and grounding Presented at the SRCG meeting in January 2018, describes the choice of filter configurations, the limitations of practical components and most importantly, the critical importance of a low impedance ground connection
Use and abuse of screened cables Presented at the SRCG meeting in September 2016 and the IEEE-EMCS meeting in December 2016, is a tutorial on what the title says - how they work, the various types, the transfer impedance, termination
Installation of power converters Presented at the SRCG meeting in May 2015, describes how to design and install filters and cables for switchmode power converter systems - variable speed drives, renewable energy systems etc.
Characterisation of emissions due to power electronics heatsinks Presented at EMC Europe Bruges, September 2013, discusses how switching device heatsinks contribute to conducted RF emissions, and shows how these can be predicted with circuit simulation
Voltage Coefficient of Capacitance Written with Matt Ellis of Syfer, and published in the EMC Journal January 2013, warns of the variation of capacitance for many types of MLCC with applied voltage
Characterisation of Surge Suppressors Published in the EMC Journal September 2012, describes some experiments to determine the clamping characteristics and survivability of MOVs and TVSs
The water-bed and the leaky bucket Published in the EMC Journal September 2010, offers an explanation of why mitigation measures for radiated emissions may have the opposite effect from what was intended
On-board shielding: principles and practice Presented at the SRCG meeting on 29th September 2010 at Tecan, Weymouth, discusses how to apply shielding cans on PCBs
Immunity requirements related to design choices Published in the September 2009 issue of the EMC Journal, considers what electronic product designers can do to improve the immunity of their designs
The Ground Plane: Lord of the Board First published in the EMC Journal issue 72, September 2007; discusses the implementation of ground planes on PCBs
Advanced Topics in EMC Design Presented at NEEDS2006 in May 2006, the IEEE EMCS in December 06 and the SCA in July 07, discusses the issues of split ground planes (don't!), decoupling capacitor selection and placement, and common-to-differential mode conversion in interface filters
The trouble with wall-warts Originally published in EMC Journal May 05, this discusses the problems due to conducted RF emissions from wall-wart power supplies
Aspects of I/O filter design Presented at Newbury in 2004, discusses how you implement an interface filter and looks at its circuit model. Issues of component balance and CM-to-DM conversion are covered in detail
Controlling resonances in PCB-chassis structures Presented in Sorrento in 2002, this paper describes the impact of structural resonances for product EMC and discusses how to control them
Using cable ferrites for interference suppression This has been written to try and demystify the subject of ferrite sleeves on cables, in our experience one of the least understood aspects of EMC design. Includes several plots of actual ferrite performance - substantially revised and updated in October 2019
Designing for EMC
EMC Testing
Some considerations for ESD testing Published in the January 2010 issue of the EMC Journal, covers the techniques and issues raised by the IEC 61000-4-2 ESD test
The FFT emission measurement method The keynote presentation at the EMCTLA FFT seminar in June 2008; introduces the technology and issues raised by the FFT method
Measurement Errors Caused by the Transient Limiter Presented at EMC Zurich (Munich) 07. Subject as below, but with more detail in the modelling.
The hazard of the transient limiter First published in the EMC Journal issue 69, discusses the errors that can be caused in the CE test by the transient limiter, and what you can do about them.
Why do I never get the same result twice? Presented at the SCA meeting on 6th September 05, examines why you may get different results for EMC emissions and immunity tests, even at the same test house on the same day, let alone from different test houses at different times.
Pitfalls and practice of IEC 61000-4-6 conducted immunity testing Written with Richard Marshall and published in EMC Journal March 05, discusses best practice in using CDNs, EM Clamp and current probe in conducted RF immunity tests.
Emissions measurements on switch-mode power supplies Originally written as an application note for Chase EMC and published in ITEM 1993. Now updated, discusses golden product and pre-compliance testing of SMPS using a spectrum analyser, LISN and various accessories.
What to look for in an EMC amplifier
What to look for in an EMC antenna
A review of the characteristics required for power amplifiers for RF immunity testing, and antennas for both immunity and emissions testing. (These two papers were originally written for Schaffner-Chase EMC (now Teseq Ametek CTS) in 1997. They still wear quite well, though the amplifiers one will need updating soon.)
Legislation and standards
A view on Brexit
(now moved to the Notes pages)
Is the European Commission fit for purpose? 25+ years of dealing with the EMC Directive have left their mark...
Project management and COTS This article covers the issue of using COTS equipment in other (principally military) applications: it describes the implications of the major MIL-STD and DEF STAN tests for systems trying to use modules that only meet commercial EMC requirements. RF emissions and susceptibility, and the DO-160 lightning susceptibility requirements, are discussed, along with some LF power supply issues. Now published in the Interference Technology Europe Guide
Using standards under the second edition Presentation given at the EMCTLA interactive workshop in London on the New EMC Directive, 19th January 2005
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New: A Notes page was added in December 21. The paper on the Alauda drone crash at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2019, from the perspective of electronics design and EMC aspects, is now there, along with others
Consultancy and training in electromagnetic compatibility