Complete Framework for Frequency and Time-Domain Performance Assessment of Vibrating Intrinsic Reverberation Chambers

This article presents a complete framework able to characterize the performances in both frequency and time domains of “vibrating intrinsic reverberation chambers” made of a metallized tent of shape continuously changing under the action of the stirring process. In the frequency domain, the analysis is based on a method proposed recently in order to assess from which frequency the chamber can be “well-stirred.” The method uses S
₁₁
measurements of the emitting antenna in only one position of the VIRC for different stirring conditions, here at different instants. The performances of the VIRC are shown to be similar to the ones obtained in a “classical” parallelepipedic RC of similar volume. In the time domain, a method is proposed in order to measure the decorrelation time defined as the minimum interval of time to wait in order to collect two successive independent samples and to detect any periodical repetition of the stirring process. This time-domain analysis emphasizes that the number of collectable samples is proportional in a VIRC to the measurement time. The use of a VIRC could therefore contribute to severely decrease the uncertainty budget of some RC measurements such as antenna efficiency measurements or over-the-air testing of wireless devices.