EMI protection of composite material housings for electrooptical devices

Composite materials are plastic based materials reinforced with fibers, characterized by their low weight, high mechanical properties and high electrical resistance. In the past their high price has limited their application to military aircraft and high-end professional sports equipment. The demand for low weight electrooptical devices has led us to investigate these materials, including the need to develop a solution for electromagnetic interference (EMI) protection. In this research two EMI solutions were tested, an aluminum foil and a copper mesh, inserted in a glass fiber/epoxy structure. Tests were performed in an enclosure room, over the relevant frequency range.