Weakness of the TEM cell method in evaluating IC radiated emissions

This paper deals with the characterization of integrated circuits (ICs) in terms of electromagnetic emissions. IC operations excite direct radiation by package lead frame and bonding interconnections which behave like magnetic and electric dipoles. Using the TEM cell method, some of these antennas are not coupled with the TEM mode of the cell hence, these contributions are not taken into account. In this work, limitations of the TEM cell method are pointed out. In particular, it is shown that the TEM cell method underestimates the direct radiated emissions of the ICs. This fact has been validated by performing IC direct radiated emissions measurements in an anechoic chamber