technical tidbits column

Specialized ESD simulators offer crucial insights by measuring high-voltage breakdown exceeding 10,000 volts. Learn the essential characteristics these tools must possess and see how one such device solved a perplexing processor failure in an industrial controller.

Tiny ESD sparks across a room can silently destroy today's ultra-sensitive electronics. Research shows currents induced in a simple one-meter cable from remote electrostatic discharges can generate enough current to damage modern components, requiring stricter ESD controls beyond individual workstations.

When debugging designs or making electrical measurements of noise, especially ESD, we often assume...

This column describes a simple method to measure capacitor parasitic parameters (ESR and inductance) using a pulse generator and oscilloscope. This helps evaluate capacitor performance for applications sensitive to these parameters without requiring expensive network analyzers.