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EMI Mitigation

EMI

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) affects equipment performance and process parameters.  High-frequency noise on power lines, ground and data cables is liable for equipment lock-up, downtime, undesirable process variations, erratic response, software errors, data corruption, false readings of the sensors, and, in some instances, component damage.

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As more and more equipment relies on precision electronics, susceptibility of equipment to EMI is continuously increasing.  Such sensitive equipment as semiconductor, medical, industrial control and other is increasingly under the threat from undesirable noise.  In semiconductor industry, SEMI E.176 Standard provides guidance on acceptable EMI limits in semiconductor manufacturing.  BestESD' principal, Vladimir Kraz, is a Task Force Leader of SEMI EMC Task Force responsible for SEMI E.176 Standard.

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Managing EMI in your facility is becoming more and more important. Managing is by "chance" with the hope that it would go away or managing it "by disaster" is not only expensive, it compiles the problems that affect your operations and only postpones the inevitable.

 

We can offer help in mitigating EMI-related problems, setting up proper EMI management, working with your facility specialists on reducing EMI propagation, dealing with EMI levels in sensitive equipment, working with the equipment design team to reduce electromagnetic emission and EMI susceptibility that works in your real-life production environment and other services.

 

As specialists in EMI issues we are uniquely positioned to provide you with the professional help dealing with EMI problems.

EMI Diagnostics and Mitigation

 

EMI problems are the "nasty" ones - they have all the characteristics of hard-to-deal with issues: they are intermittent and impossible to reproduce; they occur at the least convenient time; they affect your operation in different ways every time; their sources are hard to locate; conventional means of dealing with equipment downtime offer no help at all; and, most frustratingly, EMI may not be your core competency.

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With many years of experience in dealing with EMI issues in production, we can offer you:

  • A thorough analysis of EMI environment in your environment

  • Time-domain and frequency-domain analysis of high-frequency signals on cables, in tools and in the air

  • Identification of the most problematic areas for EMI exposure

  • A detailed report on the findings

  • Recommendations on specific improvements for those steps in the process that require it

  • Working with your customers and/or suppliers to present and to clarify the results of the finding and on implementation of the proposed solutions.

EMI Audit

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Just like an ESD Audit, a comprehensive EMI audit of your facility with the emphasis on the most sensitive equipment and the worst EMI violators provides visibility of your actual EMI environment and helps to identify necessary improvements based on factual measurements.

We offer a fact-based EMI Audit with the primary focus on:

  • Identification of EMI exposure in your facility and in your process

  • Correlation between the sensitivity of our process and your devices and their exposure to EMI

  • EMI "map" of your facility

  • Identification of EMI "hot spots"

  • Analysis of grounding and power distribution from EMI point of view

  • Effectiveness of your EMI-protective measures

  • Understanding of key personnel of EMI, its consequences and mitigation

  • Proper EMI management in your facility

EMI in Semiconductor Manufacturing

 

High levels of electromagnetic interference cause a number of problems, including:

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  • Errors in metrology

  • Parametric errors

  • Sensor data errors

  • "Wavy" lines in SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopes)

  • Unintended altering of recipes' parameters

  • Equipment malfunctioning and lockup

  • Electrical overstress to sensitive components

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EMI levels in semiconductor manufacturing are governed by SEMI Standards (EMI E33 and the upcoming Standard on EMI mitigation in semiconductor manufacturing environment), as well as IRDS recommendation.  As someone who is intimately familiar with current developments in SEMI Standards in EMC and IRDS contributor, I can check compliance with these requirements and recommendations at your facility, as well as assist you in meeting and maintaining levels of EMI that won't affect your process and devices

EMI Classes and Seminars

 

Electromagnetic interference is seldom an expertize area of many specialists at the factories.  Nevertheless, EMI issues are the ones that don't seem to just "go away" by themselves.  Knowledgeable personnel can not only efficiently and promptly deal with emerging interference issues, but also anticipate EMI problems and deal with them in a professional way before they create real problems for your factory.

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We can offer you seminars and classes on electromagnetic interference as it pertains to the production environment (please see our EMC section for dealing with electromagnetic compliance).  The classes introduce your managers, engineers and technicians to the basics of EMI, its origing and propagation, preventing EMI issues at the factory, specifics of dealing with EMI issues, proper tools and methodology in mitigating EMI problems, dealing with EMI issues and many other aspects.  

The classes can be conducted at your factory for the maximum coverage and effectiveness.  Please contact us for details.

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