How Do You Power Reliable EMC Immunity Testing?

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing is essential to ensure electronic devices function reliably without emitting or being affected by disruptive electromagnetic interference (EMI). Industries such as automotive, aerospace, military, and medical depend on rigorous EMC testing to validate both emissions and immunity. While emissions testing ensures a device doesn’t disrupt others, immunity testing evaluates how well it withstands external EMI.

Two common immunity testing approaches are over-the-air (OTA) radiated testing and stripline testing. In OTA testing, the device under test (DUT) is placed inside an anechoic chamber and subjected to controlled interference through antennas. Key components include signal generators, broadband linear amplifiers for field strength, directional couplers, peak power sensors, and phase-stable cables. Stripline testing, ideal for smaller devices, uses a stripline fixture to deliver electromagnetic fields in a compact setup, but relies on similar system components.

Maury Microwave supports high-integrity EMC testing with its MPA-series broadband solid-state GaN amplifiers. These amplifiers provide up to 500 W for sub-6 GHz testing and 250 W for 6–18 GHz, with options up to 40 GHz. They feature remote control, integrated couplers, and protection circuitry for safety and ease of use.

Complementing the amplifiers are Maury’s RTP5000 real-time power sensors, LLC high-directivity low-loss couplers, and StabilityPlus™ cables, ensuring consistent and accurate measurements. Together, these tools enable engineers to confidently assess device performance under real-world EMI conditions and meet stringent compliance standards with repeatable, high-accuracy results.