Electromagnetic Fields Radiated from Electrostatic Discharges: Theory and Experiment

摘要

The fields radiated by electrostatic discharges (ESD) are studied both theoretically and experimentally. The ESD spark is modeled theoretically as an electrically short, time dependent, linear dipole situated above an infinite ground plane. Experimentally, sparks of varying voltages are generated by a commercially available simulator and used to excite a number of targets including (1) the extended inner conductor of a coaxial cable mounted in a ground plane, (2) direct discharges to a ground plane, (3) indirect radiation from a large metal plate, (4) a metal chair over a ground plane, and (5) a metal trash can. Results show that relatively low-voltage sparks (2-4 kV) excite the strongest radiated fields. This suggests that the spark fields can pose a significant interference threat to electronic equipment into the gigahertz range.