ESD (ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE) SUPPRESSION SOLUTIONS
Concern for the reliability of electronic products with respect to Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) continues to increase. At the IC chip foundry, the board assembly house, and in the field, ESD is a threat to the long-term functionality of the end product.
In the foundry and board assembly environments, two basic strategies are used. First, ESD protection structures are designed into the IC’s. Second, Electrostatic Discharge survivability is further enhanced by work place treatments like static-dissipative clothing and environmental modification (humidity/ionization control). When properly implemented, these treatments can ensure high yields with respect to Human Body Model (HBM), Machine Model (MM), and Charged Device Model (CDM) types of ESD events.
However, a circuit that survives HBM/MM/CDM events is not guaranteed to survive real-world ESD events, to which the end product (PDA, computer, cell phone, etc.) will be subjected. User-generated ESD events, like those specified in the IEC 61000-4-2 test specification, are much more severe than those defined for foundry/assembly house environments. Because of the increased voltage and current stresses, user-generated ESD events can cause electrical upset to, or outright destruction of, the IC’s. To enhance survivability of the IC to user-generated ESD, suppression products are typically used. These devices supplement the on-board ESD capabilities of IC™s so that the end product can reliably function after exposure to severe Electrostatic Discharge events.
To help the circuit designer best match a suppression solution to their circuit characteristics, Littelfuse offers a broad portfolio of ESD suppression products, including ceramic, silicon and polymeric technologies. Since all applications and circuits are different, no one, single, transient voltage suppression technology can solve every problem. Some important transient voltage suppressor characteristics to consider (which vary by technology) include capacitance, leakage current, clamping voltage, and package outline.
Additionally, Littelfuse recognizes that many applications present severe board-space limitation issues to the designer. To help minimize discrete passive component and board-space usage, a family of integrated passive devices (IPD) has been introduced. The SPUSB1 family integrates ESD protection, termination and line resistors, and EMI capacitors into a single space-efficient part. This is an application-specific product that it is used on the USB 1.1 bus to protect the upstream ports in peripherals (PDA, printer, digital camera, etc.). It is not used in host devices like desktop and notebook computers.
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In the foundry and board assembly environments, two basic strategies are used. First, ESD protection structures are designed into the IC’s. Second, Electrostatic Discharge survivability is further enhanced by work place treatments like static-dissipative clothing and environmental modification (humidity/ionization control). When properly implemented, these treatments can ensure high yields with respect to Human Body Model (HBM), Machine Model (MM), and Charged Device Model (CDM) types of ESD events.
However, a circuit that survives HBM/MM/CDM events is not guaranteed to survive real-world ESD events, to which the end product (PDA, computer, cell phone, etc.) will be subjected. User-generated ESD events, like those specified in the IEC 61000-4-2 test specification, are much more severe than those defined for foundry/assembly house environments. Because of the increased voltage and current stresses, user-generated ESD events can cause electrical upset to, or outright destruction of, the IC’s. To enhance survivability of the IC to user-generated ESD, suppression products are typically used. These devices supplement the on-board ESD capabilities of IC™s so that the end product can reliably function after exposure to severe Electrostatic Discharge events.
To help the circuit designer best match a suppression solution to their circuit characteristics, Littelfuse offers a broad portfolio of ESD suppression products, including ceramic, silicon and polymeric technologies. Since all applications and circuits are different, no one, single, transient voltage suppression technology can solve every problem. Some important transient voltage suppressor characteristics to consider (which vary by technology) include capacitance, leakage current, clamping voltage, and package outline.
Additionally, Littelfuse recognizes that many applications present severe board-space limitation issues to the designer. To help minimize discrete passive component and board-space usage, a family of integrated passive devices (IPD) has been introduced. The SPUSB1 family integrates ESD protection, termination and line resistors, and EMI capacitors into a single space-efficient part. This is an application-specific product that it is used on the USB 1.1 bus to protect the upstream ports in peripherals (PDA, printer, digital camera, etc.). It is not used in host devices like desktop and notebook computers.
More information about ESD Protection.
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