The basic concepts determining electromagnetic shielding

Abstract

Shielding involves much more than just putting a conductive screen in between an emitting source and a susceptible device. Starting from Maxwell's equations, the concept of electromagnetic shielding is formally explained. The physical working mechanisms behind the two basic forms of shielding, electric field and magnetic field shielding, are given, and the link between them at higher frequencies is clarified. Several aspects, like the effect of gridding or weaving a shield, the effect of the finite size of a shield, and the penetration through the metal of a shield, are discussed based on very simple canonical shielding topologies that can be solved analytically. Although the classical paradigm to explain shielding based on the notions of skin depth and eddy current is not followed, conceptual links with this classical paradigm are explained.