Optimizing radiated emission measurement uncertainty by using an optical link based receiver

According to the international standard EN 17025, electromagnetic compatibility test laboratories have to evaluate the measurement uncertainty for each test setup. The uncertainty budget of each test is composed by several contributions related to different sources of uncertainty, and in some test setup a non-negligible role is played by cables. This is especially true in the radiated emission setup, where the presence of coaxial cables can modify the electromagnetic behavior of the antenna to which they are connected. In this framework the adoption of technological solutions able to avoid or minimize uncertainty contributions is of paramount importance. With reference to the radiated emission measurement setup, in the paper the advantages deriving from the use of a measurement receiver that allow the substitution of the coaxial cable with an optical fiber link are summarized and analyzed.