Investigation of a Hybrid Electromagnetics Test Facility

Commercial and government electromagnetic (EM) emission and immunity standards require testing over the frequency interval 10 kHz to 18 GHz. Currently, equipment must be tested in two or more test facilities to satisfy this requirement. The objective of the effort is the design of a relatively low cost EM test facility that has the ability to cover the full frequency interval. The full coverage facility design combines a low frequency test method with a high frequency test method. The Phase I effort showed that this design is practical except at frequencies where the transition from the low frequency method to the high frequency method occurs. This Phase II effort resolves the transition deficiency. The approach focuses on understanding the low frequency EM response of shielded enclosures and devises techniques for bridging the transition from the low frequency to high frequency methods. Also, the new test and analysis techniques to be developed during the conduct of the proposed investigation will have significant applications to other EM related problems. They can be used to quantify the EM induced response of electronics located in missiles and aircraft. This capability is required to assess the performance of systems illuminated by high-level EM environments.