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Why Need EMI Shielding in Electronics ?

Introduction

EMI or electromagnetic interference shielding refers to techniques used

for suppressing electromagnetic interference generated

by electronic devices. EMI shielding blocks electromagnetic waves from

reaching or escaping the device using conductive materials that reflect or

absorb radiated energy.

This article provides a comprehensive overview of EMI shielding including:

 Basics of electromagnetic interference

 Need for shielding electronics

 Shielding principles and materials

 Shielding methods and design

 Shielding measurement

 Applications and trends

Understanding EMI shielding concepts enables designing robust electronic

products that function reliably by containing interference.

Basics of Electromagnetic Interference

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Electromagnetic interference (EMI) refers to disturbances caused due to

unwanted generation, propagation and reception of electromagnetic

energy that can potentially degrade the performance of electronics.

Sources of EMI

 Switching signals and clocks

 Power supply rectification

 Data and control buses

 High speed serial links

 Displays and touch interfaces

 DC-DC converters

 Motors and relays

Effects of EMI

 Increased error rates in data transmission

 Noise on audio and video signals

 False switching and spurious behaviors

 Degradation of signal integrity

 Equipment malfunctions and shutdowns

With greater computing speeds, closed system architectures and

sensitive analog interfacing, EMI mitigation through shielding becomes

vital for reliability.

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Need for Shielding Electronics from EMI

Shielding is essential for ensuring proper functioning of electronic

equipment due to:

Susceptibility Requirements

 Electronics need protection from external interference sources

Emission Requirements

 Prevent device emissions from disrupting other equipment

Regulatory Compliance

 Meet EMC/EMI standards for electronic products

Signal Integrity

 Guard noise sensitive analog signals and sensor interfaces

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Safety

 Avoiding equipment malfunctions and shutdowns

Security

 Contain compromising emanations from circuits

From laptops to medical devices, automotive electronics to LTE

basestations, shielding helps electronics operate reliably and safely by

suppressing interference.

Shielding Methods and Materials

EMI shielding aims to contain EMI through reflection, absorption or

diffusing the emitted energy using conductive materials surrounding the

source. Common shielding methods include:

Faraday Cage Shielding

An enclosure made of conducting material that blocks external fields.

Works by induced surface currents cancelling incident fields.

Conductive Coatings

Paints loaded with conductive fillers like nickel, copper or carbon particles

that reflect/absorb EMI when coated on plastics.

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Conductive Plastics

Plastics mixed with fillers like stainless steel fibers, carbon particles or

nickel coated graphite that provide shielding through absorption when

molded into enclosures.

Board Level Shielding

Small metal cans soldered onto PCBs enclosing components needing

isolation. Effective for blocking high frequency noise.

Cable Shielding

Foils or braided mesh surrounding cables that isolates signals from

external noise pickup/radiation.

Component Shielding

Shielding integrated into component construction. Examples

include metal core PCBs, shielded connectors, absorptive cables.

EMI Gaskets

Conductive elastomer gaskets placed between metallic chassis/covers that

compress during closure to block EMI leakage through gaps.

Optimal shielding combines multiple techniques tailored to the frequency

range, emissions sources, mechanical design and cost.

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Shielding Materials

Materials commonly used for EMI shielding include:

 Metals – Steel, nickel, copper, aluminium, tin

 Conductive paints – Nickel/copper filled latex, epoxy, acrylic

 Conductive coatings – Vacuum deposited aluminium on plastic

 Conductive plastics – ABS, polycarbonate with Ni-coated graphite

filler

 Conductive foams – Silver coated open cell PU foam

 EMI absorbers – Ferrite tiles, carbon loaded foam absorbers

 EMI gaskets – Conductive elastomers with silver plating

Selecting suitable materials involves balancing shielding effectiveness,

manufacturability, corrosion resistance, cost constraints and mechanical

needs.

Shielding Design Considerations

Some key aspects for effective EMI shielding implementation are:

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Governing Standards

 Understand applicable emissions and immunity standards like FCC,

CISPR 11

Frequency Range

 Blocking lower frequencies requires thicker, solid metal shields

unlike high frequencies

Shield Location

 Close proximity to sources provides optimal containment

Seams and Gaps

 Minimize openings for leakage of unwanted emissions

Grounding

 Robust grounding of enclosure using multiple low impedance paths

Filtered Connectors

 Prevent noise coupling through shields via connectors

PCB Layout

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 Careful component placement, routing and stackups to isolate

noise sources and victims

Simulation

 Model shields and analyze with full-wave solvers to predict

resonances

An optimized shielding system requires a holistic approach across

mechanical, electrical and electronic design.

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Shielding Performance Metrics

Shielding effectiveness indicates the reduction in radiated and conducted

interference by shields and is expressed in dB. Key metrics are:

Plane Wave Shielding Effectiveness (PWSE)

Measures far-field attenuation when plane EM waves impact the shield.

Important for emissions containment.

Near Field Shielding Effectiveness (NFSE)

Measures shielding performance for near-field electric and magnetic

coupling. Crucial for immunity and signal isolation.

Transfer Impedance (ZT)

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Determines conductivity across the shield between source and victim.

Lower ZT indicates better absorption.

Insertion Loss

Measures the reduction in conducted interference from source to victim

through shield. Similar concept as transfer impedance.

These parameters help evaluate material suitability and design robustness

during shielding development. Shielding performance varies with

frequency and needs to be validated across the spectrum.

EMI Shielding Measurement

Measuring the shielding effectiveness quantitatively helps assess design

choices and improvements. Common measurement methods are:

Anechoic Chamber Testing

Full compliance testing method with antennas transmitting and receiving

through the shielding barrier characterizing both plane wave and near

field shielding. Provides wide frequency characterization in controlled lab

environment.

GTEM Cell Testing

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Uses a tapered septum transmission line to evaluate shielding

effectiveness. Can test electric, magnetic and plane wave attenuation.

Portable for spot measurements.

Shielded Box Method

Simple setup with noise generator and receiver placed inside and outside

a shielded test enclosure to evaluate insertion loss at various points

across frequency.

MESA Imaging

Scanning imaging system that maps emissions sources and propagation

to pinpoint leakage points needing mitigation.

Validated measurements are crucial during prototyping to tailor the

design before final compliance testing.

EMI Shielding Applications

EMI shielding is widely used in electronic products including:

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Consumer Electronics

Laptops, smartphones, wearables, home appliances, game consoles

Automotive

Engine control units, infotainment systems, LIDAR modules

Aerospace

Avionics, flight control systems, communications

Medical

Monitoring equipment, implants, scanning systems

Instrumentation

Test and measurement equipment

Industrial

Automation controllers, motor drives, robotics

Communications

5G small cells, private networks, base stations

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Any application where electronics need to operate reliably in noisy

environments relies on EMI shielding principles implemented through

careful mechanical, electrical and PCB design.

EMI Shielding Technology Trends

Advances in materials and manufacturing are expanding shielding

capabilities:

 3D printing – Additively built metal enclosures with complex

geometries

 EMI paints – High aspect ratio carbon nanotubes for conductive

coatings

 Hybrid coatings – Composite paints combining copper and nickel

for increased conductivity

 Thin-profile shields – Flexible conductive tapes for tight space

applications

 Structural electronics – Shielding integrated into load bearing

structures

 MIT materials – Metamaterials, fractal geometries for improved

absorption

 Graphene composites – Graphene infused plastics for light yet

effective shielding

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 AI-driven design – Optimizing shielding performance using

simulations and generative design

 Expanded applications – Effective shielding demands from electric

vehicles, IoT endpoints and medical devices

With electronics getting more compact, efficient and operating at higher

frequencies, shielding implementation is becoming more critical across

application sectors.

Conclusion

As an indispensable technique for ensuring proper functioning and

emission compliance of electronic equipment, EMI shielding encompasses

specialized materials, design practices and measurements. Shielding

methods from conductive coatings to faraday cages along with advanced

materials like graphene and metamaterials provide a robust toolkit to

contain radiated interference. With electronics advancement leading to

increased interference susceptibility and emissions, shielding

development using physics-driven modeling and AI-based design

techniques promises to be a crucial competitive advantage for developing

reliable, secured and compliant products.

What is EMI Shielding? – FQA

Q1. What is the purpose of EMI shielding in electronic products?

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EMI shielding blocks electromagnetic interference from entering or

escaping the device using conductive materials. This ensures proper

functioning and meets EMC/EMI standards.

Q2. What are some common EMI shielding methods?

Shielding approaches include faraday cages, conductive coatings/plastics,

board-level shields, cable shields, component shields, absorbers and EMI

gaskets between metallic enclosures.

Q3. How is shielding performance quantified?

Key parameters are plane wave shielding effectiveness, near field

shielding, transfer impedance and insertion loss. These determine

attenuation across frequency spectrum.

Q4. What materials are commonly used for EMI shielding?

Materials used are metals like steel, nickel, copper, conductive paints,

plastics, coatings, foams, absorbers, gaskets containing metallic fillers.

Q5. What are some considerations in EMI shielding design?

Considerations include applicable EMI standards, noise frequencies, shield

location, seams/gaps minimization, grounding, filtered connectors,

enclosure material and PCB layout techniques.

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Related Posts:

1. Everything you need to know about RF Shielding

2. What are EMC Shielding Solutions?

3. Everything you Need to Know about Low-Frequency EMI Shielding

4. How to Achieve the Best EMI Shielding Materials

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