A Two-Phase Airframe Shielding Performance Study Using Ultra-wideband Measurement Systems

Published

January 1, 2003

Author(s)

Chriss A. Grosvenor, Robert T. Johnk, David R. Novotny, Seturnino Canales, Claude Weil, Jason Veneman

Abstract

The National Institute of Standards and Technology participated in a comprehensive study of electromagnetic aircraft shielding. The effort consisted of two parts: (1) shielding measurements on a box model with a simple and precisely controlled geometry, and (2) a shielding evaluation of a Boeing 737-800 commercial airliner. The box measurements provided a baseline with which to study and to compare different shielding measurement techniques. A stepped-CW measurement system based on a vector network analyzer was used to perform direct-illumination measurements on the box, and to acquire a direct antenna-to-antenna coupling reference. The box measurements demonstrate that our measurement methods work well in cluttered environments, and with suitable correction factors, correlate well with reverberation chamber and anechoic chamber techniques. A direct-pulse time-domain system, based on a high-speed pulse generation ultra-wideband sampling oscilloscope, and NIST-developed, linear-phase TEM horns were used to perform aircraft measurements. Two measurement procedures were invoked: (1) A direct-illumination method with the transmitter placed in various compartments, combined with a direct antenna-to-antenna reference measurement, and (2) a new reference measurement that exploits the reverberation characteristics of the hanger in which the aircraft is placed. The latter we refer to as the

Citation

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) - 6622

Report Number

6622

NIST Pub Series

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Keywords

aircraft, EMC, shielding effectiveness, time-domain measurements, ultra-wideband

Citation

Grosvenor, C. , Johnk, R. , Novotny, D. , Canales, S. , Weil, C. and Veneman, J. (2003), A Two-Phase Airframe Shielding Performance Study Using Ultra-wideband Measurement Systems, NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (Accessed May 5, 2025)