Why isn't the electronics in the EMP gun destroyed along with the surrounding electronics? I have been researching electro-magnetic pulses and am confused with how the electronics inside such a gun aren't affected. And as a side question; could an EMP gun direct its EMP by putting aluminium foil on the sides? (I'm not a scientist :D)
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5$\begingroup$ What's an EMP gun? $\endgroup$– CuriousOneCommented Aug 8, 2016 at 4:24
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$\begingroup$ It shoots out an EMP from a coil or antenna $\endgroup$– user126665Commented Aug 8, 2016 at 4:24
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$\begingroup$ You mean a device that produces an electromagnetic wave that attempts to overload or even destroy electronics? That wouldn't need much electronics itself. It would be mostly a resonant circuit, a large capacitor bank and a high voltage switch, probably using a high pressure gas discharge. Since I have never seen one in action, I can't tell you more than that. I doubt that it would work against most of the electronics that I have built professionally. $\endgroup$– CuriousOneCommented Aug 8, 2016 at 4:31
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$\begingroup$ Do you have evidence that an EMP gun exists outside of video games? $\endgroup$– user10851Commented Aug 8, 2016 at 6:06
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You need a credible link to or citation of the technology you seek to learn about for a good answer here. My only knowledge of EMP is as a side effect of nuclear weapons. However, there is a very simple way to make this kind of generator work without damaging its own electronics and that is simply to use a directional antenna. Look up the physics behind the directionality of antennas. A high power electromagnetic pulse would simply be launched using a dish antenna using a Cassegrain launch arrangement; such dishes can easily be built such that the power radiated backwards is many orders of magnitude (typically 6 or 7) below that directed forward. The control circuitry for the device would be housed behind the launch antenna.
One can also design highly shielding conducting cases for electronics, and a sound electromagnetic interference analysis could also formulate a design for casing that could withstand the radiation from the device. But the device would need to be directional anyway, so you would exploit the directionality spoken of above to shield your electronics.
answered Aug 8, 2016 at 4:30
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$\begingroup$ would a parabolic antenna work? $\endgroup$– user126665Commented Aug 8, 2016 at 4:38
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$\begingroup$ @PixelFallHD That is one configuration of the Cassegrain feed dish antenna. The point is that, in general, highly directional antennas can be constructed to do what you whilst shielding the volume behind the dish from EM radiation $\endgroup$ Commented Aug 8, 2016 at 7:43