Complete ESD Safe Program Static Dissipative Professional ESD Safe Tools For working on static sensitive electronic components Toll Free: (800) 494-6104 2 Static damage to components can take the form of upset failures or catastrophic What is ESD failures. Basic Concepts in Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Upset failures - result in gate leakage We have all seen static electricity in the form of lightning or perhaps felt the Catastrophic failures - occur in two forms, Direct and Latent zap when reaching for a door knob. Similar types of electrical charges can have an effect on the electronic components you handle every day in your work. Direct catastrophic failures occur when a component is damaged to the point Unfortunately, their effect is much more hazardous and not as readily apparent. where it is DEAD NOW and it will never again function. This is the easiest type of ESD damage to find since it usually can be detected during testing. Definition Static electricity is an electrical charge at rest. Static electricity is most commonly Latent failures occur when ESD weakens or wounds the component to the point created by friction and separation. Friction causes heat which excites the molecular where it will still function properly during testing, but over time the wounded particles of the material. When two materials are then separated, a transfer of component will cause poor system performance and eventually complete system electrons from one material to the other may take place. failure. Because latent failures occur after final inspection or in the hands of your customer, the cost for repair is very high. Not only is this type of damage hard to As electrons transfer, the absence or surplus of electrons creates an electrical field find, but it severely affects the reputation of your companys product. known as static electricity. The simple separation of two materials, as when tape is pulled off a roll, can also create this same transfer of electrons between materials, An upset failure occurs when an electrostatic discharge has caused a current flow generating static electrical fields. that is not significant enough to cause total failure, but in use may intermittently result in gate leakage causing loss of software or incorrect storage of information. The amount of static electricity generated depends upon the materials subjected to friction or separation, the amount of friction or separation and the relative Upset or latent failures may pass your companys quality control testing program. humidity of the environment. Common plastic generally will create the greatest In other words, static damage may occur that cannot be felt, seen, or detected static charge. Low humidity conditions such as those created when air is heated through normal testing procedures. during the winter will also promote the generation of significant static electrical charges. Think of Static As Contamination Damage caused by invisible and undetectable events can be understood by Materials that easily transfer electrons (or charge) between atoms are called comparing ESD damage to medical contamination of the human body by viruses conductors and are said to have free electrons. Some examples of conductors or bacteria. Although viruses and bacteria are invisible, they can cause severe are metals, carbon and the human bodys sweat layer. Materials that do not easily damage even before you can detect their presence. A defense against this invisible transfer electrons are called insulators. Some well known insulators are common threat is sterilization. plastics, glass and air. Both conductors and insulators may become charged with static electricity. When a conductor is charged, the free electrons give it the ability As an employee, the hidden threat of electrostatic discharge or ESD should be to discharge rapidly when it comes close to another conductor with a different of great concern to you. ESD damage can significantly reduce your companys potential. profitability. This may affect your profit sharing, your companys ability to compete in the market place and even your employment. Everyone likes to take Typical Electrostatic Voltages pride in their work, but without proper ESD controls, your best efforts may be Many of the common activities you perform daily may generate charges on your destroyed by static electricity that you can neither feel nor see. body that are potentially harmful to components. Some of these activities include: Walking across a carpet, 1,500 to 35,000 volts ESD Safe Precision Screwdrivers Walking over untreated vinyl floor, 250 to 12,000 volts Worker at a bench, 700 to 6,000 volts Description Page Vinyl envelope used for work instructions, 600 to 7,000 volts Picking up a common plastic bag from a bench, 1,200 to 20,000 volts Prec. Slotted/Phillips 4-5 Costly Effects of ESD When you feel a static shock, you are experiencing a minimum of 3,000 volts of Prec. Torx/TorxPlus 6 electricity. This shock known as Electro Static Discharge or ESD also may be responsible Prec. Hex Screwdrivers 7 for damaging many of the rejected electronic components in your company. Prec. Nut Drivers 8 While you can feel electrostatic discharges of 3,000 volts, smaller charges are below the threshold of human sensation. Unfortunately, smaller charges can and do damage semiconductor devices. Many of the CMOS technology components Ceramic Slotted/Phillips 9 used in your facility can be damaged by charges of less than 1,000 volts. Some of the more sophisticated components can be damaged by charges as low as 10 volts. You should be aware of the relative sensitivity to ESD damage of devices you may ESD Safe SYSTEM 4 Handles/Blades & Sets be working with. As electronic technology advances, electronic components tend to become smaller Description Page and smaller. As the size of the components is reduced, so is the microscopic spacing of insulators and circuits within them, increasing their sensitivity to ESD. SYSTEM 4 10-13 As you can predict, the need of proper ESD protection increases everyday. Types of ESD Damage Drive-Loc VI 11 This Article courtesy of Desco Industries, Inc