Yeah, you're right.  You need to consider the permeability.as well.  I assumed
that without saying so.  Indium Tin Oxide doesn't have a very high
permeability, if I remember correctly.

It also doesn't have a high conductivity (as I mentioned earlier).  So it
seems to me that it's only good for dissipating static.

Chris Maxwell


From: [email protected] 
mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Price, Ed
Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2004 9:49 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: Germanium & ITO Window shielding effectiveness


From: Chris Maxwell [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2004 5:42 AM
To: Barker, Neil; Price, Andrew P (UK Basildon); Emc-Pstc (E-mail)
Subject: RE: Germanium & ITO Window shielding effectiveness

I agree with Andy.

ITO coating has a surface resistivity of 14Ohms/sq inch.  You could probably
get just as much surface resistivity from a coating of dust :-)

ITO coatings are good at dissipating static; but I think that they are
pretty much useless for shielding.

I shudder to think of how naïve we were back in 1995 when this whole EMC (CE
marking) kick began.  We had one product with a window about 2" x 2".  We
had the window ITO coated.  We spaced mounting screws every 1/2" around its
edge and then used conductive RTV between the edge and the Aluminum panel
into which it mounted.  We took a $2 window assembly and turned it into a
$50 window assembly.  (we did this on the advice of someone we trusted)  I
looked into it a little while later and found the above facts regarding the
surface resistivity of the ITO coating.  We would have done just as much
good by flushing money down the toilet.

I would recommend a window with a fine, high mu wire (monel?) mesh shield.
Tecknit and Chomerics make some shielded windows like this.

Best regards,

Chris Maxwell



Umm first, what is ITO? (Indium Thorium Oxide <g>, so maybe it also acts
like a nightlight?) Sorry, couldn't help that.

Anyway, we need to know the permeability of the material too; isn't it
possible that even a fairly thin film of a poor conductivity, but permeable
material, will give a bit of shielding (redirection) of a magnetic field?
The OP was talking only about magnetic field shielding.

Regards,

Ed

Ed Price
[email protected]     WB6WSN
NARTE Certified EMC Engineer & Technician
Electromagnetic Compatibility Lab
Cubic Defense Applications
San Diego, CA USA
858-505-2780 (Voice)
858-505-1583 (Fax)
Military & Avionics EMC Is Our Specialty


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