electrostatic discharge

Applying back end ESD standards straight into the fab often misses the mark, overcontrolling low risk areas while leaving reticle handling, ionization imbalance, and isolated conductors exposed. Here's why semiconductor fabs need their own ESD guidance document, and how it should work alongside ANSI/ESD S20.20.

A common ESD flooring assumption gets the physics backwards — and it could be steering facilities toward the wrong resistance category entirely. Drawing on decades-old Bell Labs research, this piece traces exactly where a CDM event actually begins, and why flooring resistance alone won't protect against it.

Grounding is the foundation of any ESD control program — but doing it right means more than just connecting a wrist strap. This primer covers the key requirements of ANSI/ESD S20.20, common grounding techniques, and what's coming in the next revision of S6.1.

ESD flooring systems fail more often from misunderstanding than bad materials. This article walks through nine common pitfalls — from confusing anti-static with ESD-safe to poor grounding and installation shortcuts — and how to avoid each one.

Electrostatic discharge remains one of the most unpredictable threats in electronics design. This article uncovers how ESD simulators expose hidden vulnerabilities, reveals the most common compliance‑testing failures, and shares practical, engineering‑focused strategies to build products that can survive real‑world shocks and stay reliably in the field.

Real-world ESD discharge currents during semiconductor assembly differ dramatically from standard test predictions. A new Discharge Current Sensor reveals that actual currents are lower but faster than expected, challenging current protection designs for Multi-Chip Modules and Systems in Package.

The formation of branching patterns is commonly associated with electrical discharges. Lightning and electrostatic discharges from a Van de Graaff generator are transient luminous branching patterns, and sometimes the passing of an electrical current leaves residual physical patterns. Examples of how such patterns are formed are presented.

This article highlights key concepts to designing electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuits for radio frequency (RF) and millimeter wave applications. Needed RF concepts are discussed and some popular protection schemes are illustrated.

The Role of ESD In ordinary circumstances, static electricity is little more than an...

Tests and manufacturing results have proven that some static dissipative materials can still produce significant and possibly damaging discharge currents.