ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the subtle ways Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) can affect passive and active components, and give some guidelines in selecting components with EMI in mind. It looks at transient protection devices, and shows how to design and implement simple EMI filters. Many electronics designers mistakenly assume that the components they select and use will not cause EMI problems. This is particularly true with passive components, which many designers assume are ideal. If only life were so simple in the real world, where the root causes of many EMI problems are due to improper component selection and application. The chapter describes the EMI characteristics of several common components, such as capacitors, inductors, resistors, and transformers. It also looks at the most basic of "components," interconnecting wires or traces. The "three-lead" capacitor is popular at high frequencies. In this case the lead inductance is forced "outside" and no longer forms a resonant circuit.
