A VALIDATION OF CONVENTIONAL PROTECTION DEVICES IN PROTECTING EMP THREATS

Abstract

The performance of complementary ESD/Lightning protection devices being exposed to EMP was studied. We studied protection devices such as GDT (Gas Discharge Tube), TVS (Transient Voltage suppressor), and Varistor. The EMP signal has a very fast rise time of 100 psec and the maximum peak voltage of 2 kV. The GDT could not protect the EMP signal. The varistor showed about 35% of protection ability, and the TVS showed about 50% of protection ability. Thus the GDT is not a proper device to protect EMP. However, all of the protection devices did not show their nonlinear property.