Handout 4

shielding to prevent magnetic radiation- shield transfer impedance

METHOD OF HARDENING -
Cabling
shielding to prevent magnetic radiation- shield transfer impedance
SHIELDING TO PREVENT MAGNETIC RADIATION
SHIELDING TO PREVENT MAGNETIC RADIATION
SHIELDING TO PREVENT MAGNETIC RADIATION
SHIELDING TO PREVENT MAGNETIC RADIATION
SHIELDING TO PREVENT MAGNETIC RADIATION
SHIELDING TO PREVENT MAGNETIC RADIATION
SHIELDING TO PREVENT MAGNETIC RADIATION
SHIELDING TO PREVENT MAGNETIC RADIATION
SHIELDING A RECEPTOR AGAINST MAGNETIC FIELDS
SHIELDING A RECEPTOR AGAINST MAGNETIC FIELDS
SHIELDING A RECEPTOR AGAINST MAGNETIC FIELDS
Braided Shields and Twisted pairs
Braided Shields and Twisted pairs
Braided Shields and Twisted pairs
Braided Shields and Twisted pairs
SHIELD TRANSFER IMPEDANCE
• The shield transfer impedance is a property of the shield that relates
the open circuit voltage (per unit length) developed between the
center conductor and the shield to the shield current.
• The shield transfer impedance can be written as

where ZT is the transfer impedance in ohms per unit length,

IS is the shield current,
V is the voltage induced between the internal conductors and the shield,
l is the length of the cable.
• The smaller the transfer impedance, the more effective the shielding.
SHIELD TRANSFER IMPEDANCE
• At low frequencies, the transfer impedance is equal to the direct
current (dc) resistance of the shield.
• At higher frequencies (above 1 MHz for typical cables), the transfer
impedance of a solid tubular shield decreases because of skin effect,
and the shielding effectiveness of the cable increases.
• Skin effect causes the noise current to remain on the outside surface
of the shield, and the signal current on the inside; therefore, it
eliminates the common impedance coupling between the two
currents.
COAXIAL CABLE VERSUS TWISTED PAIR
• When comparing coaxial cable with twisted pair, it is important to
first recognize the usefulness of both types of cables from a
propagation point of view.
• Prior to the 1980s, the normal useful frequency for twisted pair
cables was considered to be about 100 kHz, with special applications
going up to as high as 10 MHz.
• However, realizing the economic advantage of twisted pair over
coaxial cable in many applications, today’s cable designers and
manufacturers have found ways to overcome this limitation.
COAXIAL CABLE VERSUS TWISTED PAIR
• Twisted pair cables do not have as uniform characteristic impedance
as coaxial cables, which is the result of the two conductors not
maintaining a constant position with respect to each other and is
especially true when the cable is flexed or bent.
• Today’s cable designers have been able to extend the normal useful
frequency of twisted pairs up to 10 MHz with some applications [e.g.,
Ethernet and high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI)] extending
up to hundreds of megahertz.
• These high-performance cables have less capacitance and are more
tightly and uniformly twisted.
COAXIAL CABLE VERSUS TWISTED PAIR
• In addition, in some cases, they have the two wires of the pair
bonded together so they remain in the exact same relationship to
each other over the length of the cable.
• Bonded twisted pair cables provide a more uniform characteristic
impedance and are more immune to noise and produce much less
radiation.
COAXIAL CABLE VERSUS TWISTED PAIR
• Twisted pair cables, even when unshielded, are very effective in
reducing magnetic field coupling. Only two conditions are necessary
for this to be true.
• First, the signal must flow equally and in opposite directions on the
two conductors.
• Second, the pitch of the twist must be less than one twentieth of a
wavelength at the frequencies of concern. (One twist per inch will be
effective up to about 500 MHz.) The above is true whether the
terminations are balanced or not. In addition, if the terminations are
balanced, then twisted pair cables will also be effective in reducing
electric field coupling
COAXIAL CABLE VERSUS TWISTED PAIR
• Many modern-day unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cables perform as
well or better than older shielded twisted pair (STP) cables.
• A twisted pair cable is inherently a balanced structure and effectively
rejects noise. Excellent examples of this are category (Cat) 5 and Cat 6
Ethernet cables.
• ANSI/TIA/ EIA 568B-2.1 defines performance specifications, such as
impedance, cable loss, crosstalk, and radiation, for Cat 5 Ethernet
cables.
COAXIAL CABLE VERSUS TWISTED PAIR
• Coaxial cable has a more uniform characteristic impedance with lower
losses. It is useful from dc up to very high frequency (VHF), with some
applications extending up to ultra high frequency (UHF).
• Above 1 GHz, the losses in coaxial cable become large, and a
waveguide often becomes a more practical transmission medium.
 BRAIDED SHIELDS

• Most cables are actually shielded with braid rather than with a solid
conductor.
• The advantage of braid is flexibility, durability, strength, and long flex
life. Braids typically provide only 60% to 98% coverage and are less
effective as shields than solid conductors.
• Braided shields usually provide just slightly reduced electric field
shielding (except at UHF frequencies) but greatly reduced magnetic
field shielding.
• The reason is that braid distorts the uniformity of the longitudinal
shield current. A braid is typically from 5 to 30 dB less effective than a
solid shield for protecting against magnetic fields.
BRAIDED SHIELDS
• At higher frequencies, the effectiveness of the braid decreases even
more as a result of the holes in the braid.
• Multiple shields offer more protection but at higher costs and less
flexibility.
• Premium cables with double and even triple shields, as well as silver-
plated copper braid wires, are used in some critical military,
aerospace, and instrumentation applications.
SPIRAL SHIELDS

• A spiral shield is used on cables due to its reduced manufacturing

costs, or ease of termination, or increased flexibility.
• It consists of a belt of conductors wrapped around the cable core
(dielectric). The belt usually consists of from three to seven
conductors.
BRAIDED and SPIRAL SHIELDS
• A braided shield cable can be thought of as having two, or more,
interwoven spiral belts of conductor sets woven in opposite direction,
such that each belt alternately passes over then under the other belt
as shown in Fig. One belt is applied in a clockwise direction, and the
other belt is applied in a counter clockwise direction
 SHIELD TERMINATIONS

• Most shielded cable problems are the result of improper shield

terminations. The maximum benefit of a well-shielded cable will only be
realized if the shield is properly terminated. Requirements of a proper
shield termination are as follows:
1. Termination at the proper end, or ends, and to the proper point or points
2. A very low impedance termination connection
3. A 360° contact with the shield
SHIELD TERMINATIONS - Pigtails

• A pigtail connection causes the shield current to be concentrated on

one side of the shield.
• For maximum protection, the shield should be terminated uniformly
around its circumference. This can be accomplished by using coaxial
connectors such as BNC, UHF, or Type N.
SHIELD TERMINATIONS - Pigtails

• Such a connector, shown in Fig, provides a 360° electrical contact to

the shield.
• A coaxial termination also provides complete coverage of the inner
conductor, which preserves the integrity of electric field shielding