A Magnetic-Field Resonant Probe With Enhanced Sensitivity for RF Interference Applications

High-sensitive field probes are highly desirable for radio-frequency (RF) interference studies, where ultralow noise levels are of interest. By incorporating an LC resonant circuit in a differential-loop probe, together with a Marchand balun, a magnetic-field probe with enhanced sensitivity is developed. Its equivalent circuit model and design methodology are established. The design is validated by measurements. The measured relative sensitivity in terms of |S21| of the proposed probe increases by approximately 8.63 dB at the resonant frequency of 1.575 GHz compared to that of a conventional design. The advantage of the proposed probe is validated through its application in the measurement of a microstrip trace and a real-world cell phone design.