T 0.12 Interfering Radiation

Today, information technology consists of electronic components to a large extent. Although optical transmission technology is increasingly in use, computers, network coupling elements and storage systems, for example, still generally contain many electronic components. Due to electromagnetic interference having an effect on such components, electronic devices can be impaired in their function or even damaged. As a consequence, disruptions, wrong processing results or communication errors can occur, among other failures.

Wireless communication can also be impaired by interfering radiation. In this case, a sufficiently strong disruption of the used frequency bands is enough in certain circumstances.

Furthermore, information which is saved on data storage media of certain types can, when under influence of interfering radiation, be deleted or distorted. This refers in particular to magnetically sensitive data storage media (hard disks, magnetic tapes etc.) and semiconductor memory. Damage to such data storage media due to interfering radiation is also possible.

There are many different sources of electromagnetic fields or radiation, for example wireless networks (such as WLAN), Bluetooth, GSM, UMTS etc., permanent magnets and cosmic radiation. In addition, every electric device emits electromagnetic waves of varying strength, which can spread amongst others via air and along metallic conductors (e.g. cables, air conditioning ducts, heating pipes etc.).

In Germany, regulations in this subject area are stated in the Act for the Electromagnetic Compatibility of Resources (EMVG - Gesetz über die elektromagnetische Verträglichkeit von Betriebsmitteln).