Compare how currents on test equipment behave in free space versus a TEM cell using numerical simulations, with practical guidance for EMC testing.
This report uses the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method to model a representative equipment under test and to compare its induced currents in two environments: free space and a TEM cell. The goal is to measure how closely the TEM cell can reproduce the current distributions produced by an ideal plane-wave exposure and to understand how cell size and geometry affect this correlation.
- What you’ll learn: how the EUT’s currents are modeled, what metrics are used to compare environments, and how geometry and frequency influence the correlation between TEM-cell and free-space currents.
- How the study is organized: a numerical approach that mirrors real-world immunity testing while allowing controlled variation of EUT size and cell parameters.
- Key concepts covered: correlation of current distributions, effects of TEM-cell geometry on the fields, and resonance-like behaviors that can perturb currents.
- Practical takeaways: when a TEM cell can effectively emulate free-space exposure and where careful interpretation or alternative test methods may be needed.
Ideal for readers of EMC testing research, engineering professionals evaluating test fixtures, and students seeking a clear, data-driven look at how TEM cells compare to free-space environments.