Everything started with the EMP scene in Ocean’s Eleven. I knew the movie version was exaggerated, but I was curious about what a small circuit could actually do.

While studying Electronics and Communications Engineering, I turned that curiosity into my engineering project for the year. The idea also matched what we were learning in Electromagnetic Wave Theory (EMDT). I wanted to build a small EMP generator on a custom PCB. Several people told me it would not work, which made me want to try it even more.

I started by looking at ways to raise the voltage. Electric insect-killer rackets were a useful reference because many use cascaded diodes and capacitors as a voltage multiplier. After plenty of reading and failed experiments, I ended up using a diode-capacitor charge pump with a transformer. Prof. Mustafa Çakır helped me find mistakes and improve the circuit.

The EMP generator breadboard prototype

The assembled EMP generator PCB

The calculations made sense, and the meter showed that I was raising the voltage. Still, nothing happened. I tried it against an iPhone and other newer devices (likely because of better EMI shielding), recorded the failures, and eventually ran out of ideas.

One day I reached for a calculator instead. It first looked like yet another failed test. Then I flipped the circular output coil, placed its other face under the calculator, and tried again. The display filled with incorrect values before the device reset itself. After all those attempts, that small change finally made the effect visible.

Calculator display affected by the output coil

Here is the short demo of the finished circuit and the calculator test:

EMP generator circuit on a custom PCB beside a calculator

Watch the demonstration: EMP Generator Circuit on PCB

Behind the Scenes

I later put together a longer video from the project. It shows the breadboard prototype, PCB layout, transfer and etching, soldering, coil winding, the finished board, and some of the failed tests along the way.

PCB layout for the EMP generator circuit

Watch the build video: How to Make a Simple EMP on PCB

The circuit contains a high-voltage section. I am keeping this here as an archive of an old university project.