An Active THevenin Equivalent Network Approach to EMI/EMC problems

Nonlinear responses of the semiconductor devices in electronic devices can change the impedances seen at the circuit nodes, changing the boundary conditions encountered by impressed electromagnetic fields and thus the field coupling. We have developed the Active THevenin Equivalent Network Approach (ATHENA), which allows us to include electromagnetic coupling in nonlinear circuit simulations in a bidirectional, fully consistent way. Including the coupling in the circuit simulation self-consistently is important because it allows us to predict responses to EMI/EMC both correctly and efficiently, opening the way to predicting response statistics.