Spherical near-field facility for microwave coupling assessments in the 100 MHz-6 GHz frequency range

This paper describes a spherical near-field facility set up at the Centre d'Etudes de Gramat (CEG) to perform low-power microwave coupling assessments. Specifically, this facility has been designed to determine the coupling cross section of a complex object. However, it can also be used for the characterization of any radiating system in electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) or high-power microwave (HPM) environments. The near-field approach is shown to be complementary and to offer increased flexibility when compared to other more conventional measurement techniques. More particularly, the use of a probe array in the upper part of the frequency band significantly speeds up the near-field measurement process. Consequently, broadband and multiparameter acquisitions can be performed within acceptable duration. The examples given in this paper provide a broad illustration of the capabilities of near-field techniques for EMC and HPM applications.