Faraday cages, named after Michael Faraday, act as a shield against electromagnetic energy. They are used to protect sensitive electronic parts and users from excessive exposure. Examples include metal frames of cars, microwave oven doors, and reinforced concrete buildings.
Chances are you woke up this morning in a Faraday cage, made breakfast in another, and drove one to work. Depending on your particular job, you may have spent most of your day in front of yet another Faraday cage.
The concept of the Faraday cage is logically attributed to Michael Faraday, a 19th century pioneer in the field of electromagnetic energy. Faraday studied the work of earlier scientists such as Benjamin Franklin and theorized that electromagnetic waves flow naturally around the surface of conductive materials, not through them. For example, if a metal box containing a mouse were placed directly in the path of an electrical current, electricity would flow over the box but not into the compartment with the mouse. The mouse would not be electrocuted. Such a box would be considered a Faraday cage.
The important concept to remember is that a Faraday cage acts as a shield against the effects of electromagnetic energy. When a car is struck by lightning, the metal frame carries the electricity away from the passengers inside. The door of a microwave oven has a shield that prevents electromagnetic energy from escaping into the room. Electronic parts that generate radio frequencies are often protected by Faraday cages called RF shields. A building made of reinforced concrete with lead or rebar can also be considered a Faraday cage.
Few consumers of electronic products would ever ask a salesperson for a Faraday cage, but designers and engineers understand the importance of electromagnetic shielding very well. Whenever sensitive electronic parts are used in machinery, some form of shielding is typically used, whether it be the metal casing of the machine, a capsule or a grounding wire. If electronic parts generate their own electromagnetic energy, a Faraday cage should be used to protect users from excessive exposure. This is why cell phone use is often discouraged in hospitals or other public places with electronic equipment. Unshielded equipment may be exposed to microwave energy created by cellular phones or other radio transmitters.
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