Whitepaper
Reverberation Chambers: Design and Construction Considerations for Aerospace and Military Test Requirements
This whitepaper details design and construction considerations for reverberation chambers used in aerospace and military EMC testing, focusing on achieving high field strengths (up to 7200 V/m from 4-6 GHz as required by DO-160 Category L). Reverberation chambers utilize internal reflections created by rotating tuners to achieve statistically isotropic fields, offering advantages over other test methods like lower cost and higher field-to-input power ratios. Key construction aspects discussed include modular panel design (using materials like galvanized steel, copper, and aluminum), the importance of chamber volume for frequency range, seismic bracing (up to Zone 4), and shielding performance targets exceeding 100 dB up to 10 GHz. Proper installation and certification tests (MIL-STD-285, IEEE-299, DO-160F/G) are crucial for ensuring accurate and repeatable results.