Abstract—We present the performance of an RF amplifier
and digital modulation techniques in the presence of high-power
electromagnetic interference (EMI) to provide existing and next
generation communication systems with critical information.
An advanced measurement setup comprised of a large-signal
network analyzer is used to characterize the adverse effects of
EMI on the device characteristics of an RF power amplifier and
the performance of digital modulation schemes. Furthermore, our
analysis incorporated hybrid numerical tools, such as the hybrid
S-parameter method to carry out an extensive EMI analysis of
digital modulation schemes in the presence of complex structures,
such as cylindrical cavities. Our studies yield critical information
for the communication systems. For instance, our analysis suggests
that digital modulation schemes are more susceptible to EMI than
the RF power amplifier that processes the modulated signals.
Power levels of the order of megawatts are required to have a
notable impact on the device characteristics of an RF amplifier
in the presence of a missile-like body, whereas, much lower
power levels are sufficient to degrade the performance of a digital
modulation scheme as long as it is within the bandwidth of the
modulated signal. Our analysis further indicates that nonconstant
envelope digital modulation schemes are more susceptible to EMI