An Overview of the IEEE P2715 Guide for the Characterization of the Shielding Effectiveness of Planar Materials

An electromagnetic shielding material is any material used to make shielding enclosures, typically to shield electronic components, circuits and systems against incoming electromagnetic fields, and to reduce the emission of electromagnetic waves by a circuit or system. For most applications, the choice of the material for designing and manufacturing the shielding enclosure is based on the characterization of planar samples of the shielding material. Several techniques are available to measure the shielding properties of materials. The “IEEE P2715 Guide for the Characterization of the Shielding Effectiveness of Planar Materials” provides guidance on the use of recognized techniques for the measurement of planar material shielding effectiveness. The guide describes the features and limitations of commonly accepted techniques for characterizing the shielding effectiveness of planar materials, and provides a basis for comparing the techniques. This contribution introduces the P2715 standard and summarizes the methods currently available to measure the shielding provided by a planar material.