About ESD

ESD stands for Electrostatic Discharge. It is a phenomena associated with a sudden release of electric charge previously built-up on the IC chips to the ground, or a highly charged objects be in touch with the IC chip by handling or accident. It is normally modelled according to the time and object that charge dissipated to or from in three different categories : Human Body Model, Machine Model and Charged Device Model. Typical damages caused by ESD hazards to the packaged IC chips are junction spiking, gate oxide breakdown, transistor early punch-through, silicon melt and metal overstress or electro-migration resulting in open or short circuits.

The technology shrinks down will definitely bring in the new challenges to the ESD protection schemes as the ESD phenomenon did not scaled down, and on the contrary it is scaled up to the level that today it is so much more challenging than ever before.