Ferrite bead

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A ferrite bead at the end of a USB cable
A ferrite bead with its plastic shell removed
An RF inductor wound on a ferrite bead, and a PCB mount ferrite bead.

A ferrite bead is a passive electric component used to suppress high frequency noise in electronic circuits. It is a specific type of electronic choke. Ferrite beads employ the mechanism of high dissipation of high frequency currents in a ferrite to build high frequency noise suppression devices. Ferrite beads may also be called ferrite cores, ferrite rings, ferrite EMI filters, a ferrite choke or mistakenly as ferrous beads.[citation needed]

Contents

[edit] Overview

Ferrite beads are used (in a way similar to inductors) as a passive low-pass filter. The geometry and electromagnetic properties of coiled wire over the ferrite bead result in a high impedance (resistance) for high-frequency signals, attenuating high frequency EMI/RFI electronic noise. The absorbed energy is converted to heat and dissipated by the ferrite, but only in extreme cases will the heat be noticeable.

Ferrite beads are one of the simplest and least expensive types of interference filters to install on preexisting electronic cabling. For a simple ferrite ring, the wire is simply wrapped around the core through the center typically 5 or 7 times. Clamp-on cores are also available, which can be attached without wrapping the wire at all.

[edit] Use with cell phone hands free wires

Ferrite beads may be used as a precautionary measure to limit cell phone radiation exposure. In 2005 Professor Lawrie Challis said clipping a ferrite bead onto hands-free kits stops the radio waves traveling up the wire and into the head[1].

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Bead 'slashes mobile radiation'". BBC News. 2005-01-25. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4203077.stm. Retrieved 2009-03-17.

[edit] External links