An RF anechoic box system development for shielding effectiveness measurements

Shielding effectiveness is a term that defines the electromagnetic shielding property of a material. The demand of using wireless technologies and higher frequencies in new devices also bring the need to shield the unwanted electromagnetic fields. Therefore determining the shielding effectiveness of materials becomes an important concept. In this study a compact, low-cost RF anechoic box system for shielding effectiveness is explained. The design and construction of the anechoic box is given as well as the designed printed log-periodic antennas specifically for the measurement system that operates in the frequency band of 750–3000 MHz. The simulation and measurement results of the antennas given. Also, the performance of the whole system is investigated by measuring the shielding effectiveness of an absorber used in the anechoic box with another reference antenna. Open area measurements are compared to the measurements taken in the anechoic box.