[Editor's Note] The EMC Technology Research Group of the Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science, composed of experts in fields such as EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) and SI/PI, exchanges EMC technologies annually and contributes to the dissemination of technology. With the recent trend of electrification in automobiles and the increase in miniaturization, high integration, and high power products, the problems that need to be solved in terms of EMI and EMC are gradually increasing, and EMC KOREA 2023, the annual event of the EMC Technology Research Society, is about to be held.

Accordingly, we met with Kim Jong-hoon, CEO of EMC Doctors Co., Ltd. and Chairman of the EMC Technology Research Committee of the Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science, to discuss EMC countermeasure design and the activities of the research committee.
■ You are active as an EMC expert. Please briefly introduce your background.

I have been researching EMI/EMC/SI/PI technology since 1996. At that time, there were hardly any people researching master's or doctoral theses in EMI/EMC, but it felt like a very interesting technology to me, so I started researching in this field.

After obtaining his doctoral degree, he worked on memory module development and standardization activities at Samsung Electronics and served as a research professor in the Future Automotive Engineering program at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).

In 2017, I founded EMC Doctors Co., Ltd., which is currently in operation, and am active in developing and disseminating EMI/EMC/SI/PI technologies.

■ Why is EMI/EMC design becoming increasingly complex and important in product development?

Consumers are increasingly demanding multifunctional and high-performance products, and the realization of such products inevitably requires increased computational power and operating speeds of semiconductors. The increase in operating frequency resulting from the rising operating speed of electronic products heightens the importance of EMI/EMC. This is because electromagnetic radiation and immunity increase proportionally with frequency.

Recently, low-frequency magnetic field issues have been receiving significant attention, often stemming from the miniaturization and increased power consumption of products. With the emergence of next-generation standards such as USB 3.0 and USB-C, EMI/EMC problems are frequently arising in these high-power, highly integrated products.

In particular, recently, cases highlighting the development of wireless power transfer (WPT) technology have been emerging. Along with the prominence of the WPT field, attention on the EMF field has also increased. Professor Jeong-Ho Kim of KAIST conducted a significant amount of early research, and recently, Professor Seung-Young Ahn of KAIST has been actively engaged in domestic and international research and development and academic activities.

In the short term, demand for EMI/EMC design is surging in the automotive electronics module industry. This is because there are many types of products and designers in this field, and EMC certification is also not easy.

■ You must be encountering various EMI/EMC issues in the field through training and solution support. What types of cases are the most common?

We encounter a wide variety of applications. These include automotive electronic components, semiconductor test equipment, general home appliances, and aerospace and defense sectors. Generally, many of these products are high-reliability and high-performance items, or require ultra-high-speed signal transmission.

In the development of low-cost general electronic products, the field often finds it burdensome to apply expensive EMI/EMC technologies because new development projects must be carried out at a relatively low cost. Accordingly, we are supporting the enhancement of EMI/EMC capabilities for developers working in the field through EMC design technology training.

■ What are the key management variables for RE occurrence and reduction technologies in EMC countermeasure design?

The three key control variables are: reduction of loop area, elimination or reduction of conductor length, and avoidance of resonance.

Loop area refers to the loop formed by the current generated by signal or power lines and their corresponding return paths. Although unavoidable these days, it closely resembles the round UHF antennas found on televisions in the past. The area of such a round antenna is called the loop area. Choosing a design direction that reduces the loop area can be considered a direction for EMI reduction.

The conductor length refers to the length of the rod-shaped V-dipole antenna mounted behind the TV. EMI reduction design is possible by eliminating the rod-shaped conductor or reducing its size as much as possible. When making a selection during the design phase, it is recommended to proceed with the design work while verifying whether the choice results in a reduction in conductor length.

Resonance avoidance can be anticipated to some extent during the design phase, and electromagnetic simulations can also be performed. However, it is generally a technology that is not easy for a typical designer to judge.

Therefore, if resonance is observed after designing the initial product (prototype), it is realistic to approach it by eliminating the resonance.
■ You have been leading the EMC Technology Research Group of the Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science since this year. Please introduce the research group and its achievements.

The EMC Technology Research Group can be said to have a history intertwined with the founding of the Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science (KIEES) in 1989. The Institute's core area of interest was EMI/EMC, and the papers in the first three issues of the journal also covered topics related to EMI/EMC.

Since then, the scale of the society has grown with the addition of electromagnetic wave technology, and it started in 2006 under the name EMC Technology Research Society and is now in its 17th year.

The most significant achievement of the EMC Technology Research Group is technology exchange. Due to the closed nature of the industry, it is difficult for technology exchange to occur without a central hub. However, I believe that technology and industry can develop together when we share technical insights and seek solutions together, limited to what can be disclosed.

Accordingly, the EMC Technology Research Society hosts EMC Korea and supports the development of related academia and industry by conducting EMC seminars and exhibitions on a scale that exceeds the society's level.

In addition, we are interested in fostering next-generation talent in EMI, EMC, SI, and PI, and operate support programs such as EMC scholarship awards. We are striving to cultivate and recruit emerging EMC researchers.

■ EMC KOREA 2023 will be held on July 13th. If you were to recommend any notable sessions or agendas, what would they be?

The notable presentation topics this time are semiconductors and aerospace/defense. In particular, since EMC countermeasure design technologies are being emphasized, I am confident that this will be a beneficial session for product designers.

With semiconductor packaging recently becoming a hot topic, we organized a lecture session by inviting Kang Sa-yoon, President of the Korea Microelectronics and Packaging Society (KMEPS). Packaging, which previously focused on existing processes and materials, has recently begun to intertwine with the design process. Accordingly, we have also joined KMEPS to promote collaboration.

The aerospace and defense sectors contain many aspects that cannot be publicly disclosed due to security concerns. This event has been organized to present only the parts of these veiled technologies that can be made public, with the aim of promoting related technology development and providing insights.

■ Please share a final message with the readers of e4ds news.

EMI/EMC technology is a technology that will be continuously needed as long as electronic products exist. We hope you achieve differentiation in your electronic products through EMC design technology.

thank you

Meanwhile, EMC KOREA 2023, hosted by the EMC Technology Research Association, will be held on July 13 at Hall 1 of the Korea Science and Technology Center near Gangnam Station. The event will feature technical sessions categorized by semiconductor, space/defense, home appliances/mobile, and automotive/industry sectors, including an invited lecture by KMEPS President Kang Sa-yoon. EMC experts from across industry, academia, and research, including Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, LIG Nex1, LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor Company, the Korea Automotive Research Institute, and UNIST, will gather to present EMI/EMC solutions for various applications.