Publications Details
An investigation of the direct-drive method of susceptibility testing
The Naval Surface Weapons Laboratory has constructed a small electrical subsystem for the purpose of evaluating electrical upset from various electromagnetic sources. The subsystem consists of three boxes, two of which are intended to be illuminated by electromagnetic waves. The two illuminated boxes are connected by two unshielded cable bundles. The goal of the Navy test series is to expose the subsystem to electromagnetic illumination from several different types of excitation, document upset levels, and compare the results. Before its arrival at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) the system was illuminated in a mode stirred chamber and in an anechoic chamber. This effort was a continuation of that test program. The Sandia tests involved the test methodology referred to as bulk current injection (BCI). Because this is a poorly-shielded, multiple-aperture system, the method was not expected to compare closely to the other test methods. The test results show that. The BCI test methodology is a useful test technique for a subset of limited aperture systems; the methodology will produce incorrect answers when used improperly on complex systems; the methodology can produce accurate answers on simple systems with a well-controlled electromagnetic topology. This is a preliminary study and the results should be interpreted carefully.