Elements for a unified approach to system protection against broadband electromagnetic disturbances

Developments over the past few years involve: design of electronic systems with intensive use of VLSI, but more sensitive to electromagnetic disturbance; use of composite materials to replace metals, due to their mechanical strength and lightweight but allowing greater field penetration given their lower shielding efficiency; and desire for electronic systems whose performance is not affected by an ever increasing range of electromagnetic environments covering a continuous frequency range from a few kilohertz to several tens of gigahertz. In view of these simultaneous constraints, the authors have introduced elements for a protection methodology and a principle for hardening systems against a set of broadband electromagnetic disturbances