Professional Documents
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PROTECTION FROM
ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGES
IN THE ELECTRONIC
ENVIRONMENTS
ec o ISO 9001
CERTIFIED
2004 edition
PREFACE
This publication is intended to help users in understanding and prevent the
Electrostatic Discharges Phenomena, it is not a substitute for reference to the ESD
or Safety Standards
The information given in this ESD BOOK is based on CEI/IEC 61340-5-1: 1998 and
CEI/IEC 61340-5-2/TS:1999 published by the International Electrotechnical
Commission, 3, rue de Varambe, Geneva, Switzerland. http://www.iec.ch.
STANDARDS
IEC 61340-5-1 Protection of electronic devices from electrostatic
phenomena - General requirements (1999)
IEC 61340-5-2 Protection of electronic devices from electrostatic
phenomena - User Guide (1999)
page 2 ESDBOOK
e x
d ESD BOOK
In
PROTECTION FROM ELECTROSTATIC
DISCHARGES IN THE ELECTRONIC
ENVIRONMENTS
CONTENTS
References Standards 2
What is ESD ? 4
ESD damage 5
Material classification 6
ESD protections 7
Labels 8
Signs 9
Grounding: wrist-straps, foot grounders 10
Grounding: garments, gloves, chairs 11
EPA ESD protected area 12
Typical Workstation 13
Monitoring 14
Monitoring 15
In Field working, tools 16
Safety 17
Handling 18
Carts and Shelving 19
Packaging General 20
Packaging - Bags 21
Flooring 22 - 23
Humidity Control - Ionization 24
Ionization 25
Testing 26
Testing 27
Testing 28
Testing 29
Training - Visitors 30
Check list 31
ESDBOOK page 3
Electro Static Discharge
ESD what is it ?
Electrostatic discharge is defined as the transfer of charge between bodies at
different electrical potentials. The electrostatic charge occurs when two different
materials rub or slide together or are separated.
Examples are :
- -
When two objects with different charges - - -
- -
get closer, electrons can suddenly flow - - -
from one object to the other.
+ +
+ + ++ +
+ +
+ +
CMOS
page 4 ESDBOOK
higher costs
D ESD can results in :
ES
lower quality
unhappy customers
Limited cost
Catastrophic in-house failure It is the easiest type of ESD
damage normally detected
during testing
ESD DAMAGE COST LEVELS
Higher cost due to:
- customer support
Latent failure
- servicing facility
- replacement equipment
- loss of reputation
- loss of customers
ESDBOOK page 5
ls
e ria For ESD purposes, many materials are classified by their
at
resistance or resistivity characteristics.
M
SURFACE RESISTANCE W
Conductive
materials Static-dissipative Insulative
SHIELDING materials materials
materials
103 105 1012
CONDUCTIVE MATERIALS
characterised by a low electrical resistance (less than 1x105 W), allow the charge
to quickly distribute itself throughout the material.
If the conductive material is connected to ground , all charge will flow away.
Some examples of conductors are metals, carbon and the human body's sweat
layer.
STATIC-DISSIPATIVE MATERIALS
are defined as those having a surface resistance greater than 1 x 105 W but less
than 1 x 1012 W.
Charges will flow to ground slower than with conductive materials, reducing its
destroying potential.
INSULATIVE MATERIALS
are defined as those having a surface resistance of at least 1 x 1012 W.
Insulative materials have a high electrical resistance and are difficult to ground.
Static charges remain in place on these materials for a very long time.
This property make insulators a hazard that must be controlled as part of an
ESD program.
Some examples of insulators are common plastics, glass and air.
page 6 ESDBOOK
o ls
tr
on
ESD DAMAGE CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME:
C GOODS INPUT
ACCEPTANCE
PRODUCTION
ASSEMBLY
TESTING
STORING
PACKING
SHIPPING
MAINTENANCE
4 -Check regularly the ESD protection system, internal and external (suppliers)
Take in evidence the principle 'No Charge/No discharge' , the elimination of charge
build-up is obtained by using conductive and dissipative materials that have less
tendency to generate static charges.
All equipment must be free of moving parts that may generate charges, e.g., rubber
rollers, plastic stoppers, etc.
Things which the devices may come in contact with or get transported on must also be
antistatic or conductive.
The use of ionizers to neutralize newly generated charges will also prevent charge
build-up.
The minimization of movements in the work area, as well the use of ESD-safe
equipment, will help in minimizing static charges generated by personnel.
ESDBOOK page 7
l s
be
La
BASIC SYMBOL
* C conductive
D dissipative
* S
L
shielding
low charging
EPA LABEL
EPA
ATTENTION
OBSERVE PRECAUTIONS
FOR HANDLING
ELECTROSTATIC
EARTH
DISCHARGE
SENSITIVE DEVICES
min. 4mm
BONDING POINT
page 8 ESDBOOK
ns
The signs are designed to attract attention and deliver a clear
message to personnel and visitors before they enter the EPA.
g
Si
Where high voltages greater than 250VAC or 500VDC are
present, use proper warning signs.
ATTENTION
ESD PROTECTED AREA
OBSERVE
PRECAUTIONS FOR
HANDLING
ELECTROSTATIC
DISCHARGE
SENSITIVE DEVICES
ATTENTION
HIGH VOLTAGE
ESD PROTECTED AREA
OBSERVE
PRECAUTIONS FOR
HANDLING
ELECTROSTATIC
DISCHARGE
SENSITIVE DEVICES
ATTENTION
YOU ARE LEAVING
THE EPA
ESDBOOK page 9
n g
n di
u
G ro people are the primary source of electrostatic charges
1M W 1MW 1MW
Earth
page 10 ESDBOOK
n g
n di
u
Gro Garments
Gloves
Chairs
ESDBOOK page 11
r ea An EPA (ESD Protected Area) is a defined space where no
A
A items or activity are able to cause damage to a sensitive device.
EP
In the simplest case - a field work station - it may consist of a
dissipative mat, a wrist strap and common grounding facility for
both.
MAXIMUM ALLOWED
ELECTROSTATIC FIELD:
100V/cm
17
4 3 12
7
13 6 18
16
9
EPA
14
5 11
15
1 10
8
page 12 ESDBOOK
io n
a t
s t
rk
TYPICAL WORKSTATION
Wo It is important that each bench, or work surface, is covered with the proper
ESD material and properly connected to earth using a system of cords and
Earth Bonding Points (EBPs)
1MW 1M
W 1M W
EBP
Dissipative Earth
footwear When using this
type of grounding
method be sure that
the total resistance
"hand to earth" is
lower than
3.5x107W.
Inspect the ESD grounding connections, the mats, the EBP, weekly.
ESDBOOK page 13
g
rin
i to
M on Check your ESD equipment regularly
ESD protection systems as wrist straps, foot grounders, work surfaces and floors
need to be checked on a regular basis. This is an important requirement of the ESD
standard IEC 61340-5-1.
WRISTLAB TEST STATION
HOW TO TEST YOUR WRIST STRAP
Personnel testing
1) Indossare il bracciale. Assicurarsi che sia aderente.
LO BAT
The personnel grounding tester is a wrist 8) L'indicatore "LO-BAT" segnala batteria esaurita.
mod.9265.026
ESD flooring used with approved footwear, may be an alternative to the wrist strap
system, in this case the standard is more restrictive and one of the following
conditions must be met:
- the resistance of the person to the ground must be less than 3.5x107
- the maximum body voltage generation must be less than 100 volts.
page 14 ESDBOOK
g
rin
i to Continuous
on
Monitors can be used to constantly monitor ESD
protective items such as wrist straps, work surfaces and floors, all the
M systems provide visual and audible alarms. Continuous monitoring
reduces but not replace the periodic checks.
EPA testing
Floors: Rg 1 x 109W
Seating: Rg 1 x 1010W
Tools: Rg 1 x 1012W
Ionizers
Ionizers neutralize electrostatic charges with fans that blow large quantities
of positive and negative ions. Ionizers out of balance (different quantities
of negative and positive ions), can place a significant charge on items
instead of neutralizing the charges.
ESDBOOK page 15
e ld IN FIELD WORKS
Fi Field work is perhaps the most risky situation of handling ESD sensitive
In devices, it is also often the most neglected aspect of ESD damage
prevention. The situation is risky as there are usually many potential ESD
sources in the environment.
Spare parts should be transported inside static shielding bags or
containers .
Where modules have to be worked on in an exposed state, static-
dissipative matting should be bonded to the product's electrostatic bonding
point, and to the ground to act as a work surface.
Wriststrap with
1MW resistor with
coiled cord
Static
dissipative
Lay ESD sensitive mat
devices only on the mat
Grounding cord with
1MW resistor built-in
o lsTools should not have insulating handles. Decay of charge to less than
To 10% of initial value (1000V) within 2 sec. is required.
Soldering irons tips must be grounded to earth, and must be used only at
low voltages (6 to 24V)
1MW 1M W 1MW
pag.16 ESDBOOK
t y
fe
Sa Before we get to the key issues of ESD control, it is important to note that
personnel safety is paramount. In no way should an ESD control program
replace or supersede any requirements for personnel safety.
Where high voltages greater than 250VAC or 500VDC are present, use
proper warning signs. (see page 9)
WRISTSTRAP
1MW
3 x 1MW
ESDBOOK page 17
g
l in
d TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE
H an
Store and transport ESD-sensitive items properly
When transporting and storing ESD sensitive devices, use trays, racks, tote boxes
and bags made of conductive, dissipative or shielding materials.
Bags
D 04
PE-L
D
page 18 ESDBOOK
g
l in Movement of carts and other wheeled equipment through the facility
n d
Ha
can generate static charges that can transfer to products being
transported.
ESD safe carts are made from dissipative or conductive materials
and are equipped with dissipative or conductive wheels.
If wheels are insulating the structure can be grounded to the floor
through a metallic chain.
If the floor of the EPA is not grounding, then the trolley should be
grounded from its grounding point to an earth bonding point, when
stationary for loading or unloading.
Conductive wheels
When surfaces (example: crome plated steel) have a point to point resistance
lower than 1x104W, for housing ESD sensitive devices, use proper static
dissipative boxes or mats.
ESDBOOK page 19
n g
gi
c ka
Pa The aim of ESD protective packaging is to prevent a direct electrostatic
discharge to the ESDS item contained within and allow for dissipation of
charge from the exterior surface. Packaging material will also often provide
mechanical protection and protection against contamination by dust or
humidity.
proximity does not make contact with the ESDS, but may enclose
one or more ESDS
Note: Where surface resistance >1x 1010 W is used, the material shall be procured with a
T1000 < 2 sec
caution in purchasing:
some packaging materials may be humidity dependent and may have limited shelf
life, some other may contaminate or shed particles that cause production-related
problems. ( example: a too brittle hard foam)
page 20 ESDBOOK
n g
gi
c ka BAGS
Pa antistatic
Use:
(low charge)
within the EPA for packing non-ESD sensitive
items
Cost: low
Appearance: clear or tinted (pink, blue, green)
shielding
Use: for intimate packaging of all ESD sensitive
items.
Cost: high
Appearance: metallized semi-transparent
moisture barrier
Corrosion and thus moisture protection is becoming increasingly important, Dry
Packaging is usually required for electronic devices that have to be placed into long
term storage. To provide a complete protection of devices, one desiccant pack and
one Humidity Monitor Card are inserted into the bag prior the vacuum sealing.
ESDBOOK page 21
g
o rin
F l o Static protective permanent flooring, in conjunction with conductive
footwear or heel grounding straps, drains static charge away to ground
through the floor.
It is a solid foundation for a comprehensive static control system.
In addition to dissipating charges, the static-dissipative flooring
reduces triboelectric charge generation in walking and minimise
charge accumulation on chairs, carts, lift trucks and other objects that
move across the floor. However, these items require dissipative or
conductive castors or wheels to make electrical contact with the floor.
Dissipative floor
Lower conductive layer
Recommendations
- choose a floor covering with Rg lower than 3,5x107W, this enable the
grounding of personnel via the flooring-footwear system (see page
14) in alternative with the wriststrap system.
- choose a floor covering suitable for your traffic level (frequency, weight,
type of castors )
- take in consideration the sound absorption, anti-fatigue and anti slip
properties
- ask to the supplier a guarantee that the earth leakage resistance will be
maintained, throughout the useful life of the floor material.
page 22 ESDBOOK
g
rin With reference to the installation systems, static control flooring
loo
can be classified into three groups:
Vinyl tiles
usually earthed via a strip of copper foil and bonded with conductive acrylic
adhesive.
Aesthetically attractive
Poor heat and chemical resistance
Rubber tiles
usually earthed via a strip of copper foil and bonded with conductive acrylic
adhesive.
Excellent heat and chemical resistance
Carpet
Aesthetically attractive, mostly used in offices
Difficult to reach a good static dissipation
Vinyl mats
Possibility to move the mat
Poor heat and chemical resistance
Limited coverage area
Rubber mats
Possibility to move the mat
Excellent heat and chemical resistance
Limited coverage area
ESDBOOK page 23
i ty
id The most significant environmental factor in ESD Control is
H When humidity in the working environment decreases, the human body and
other insulators can easily charge with static electricity due to friction. The air
itself, being dry, becomes a part of the electrostatic build-up mechanism, every
time an air flow (wind, air conditioning, blower) come over an insulated surface.
Relative Humidity shall be maintained over 30%.
Below that value it is recommended the use of ionization.
Environmental Monitoring
io n
a t Where grounding of some equipment or parts of it through
z
the traditional earthing techniques is impractical and where
i
on
it is impossible to exclude all charging materials from the
I
working area, the use of suitable ionizers is highly
Air Ionization systems work by flooding the atmosphere with positive and
negative ions.
When the ionized air comes in contact with a charged surface, the surface
attracts ions of the opposite polarity. As a result the static electricity that has built
up on products and equipment is neutralised.
Ions do remove small particles or smoke and pollens from the air, and subjective
research suggest that people working in ionized area are happier.
page 24 ESDBOOK
io n
a t
z some types of ionizers
ni
Io
BENCH TOP
IONIZING BLOWER
AIR FORCE
BLOW-OFF GUN
The most common test to evaluate air ionizer performance is the static decay
time measurement (see pag. 29)
ESDBOOK page 25
g
tin
RESISTANCE MEASUREMENTS
s
Te Resistance measurement is the most common tests to verify the efficiency of
working surfaces
POINT TO POINT
RESISTANCE
Always record:
T (C)
Rh (%)
values, as the resistance
measurements may change
with these two parameters.
RESISTANCE TO GROUND
Cylindrical probes with 63mm diameter and 2.3kg weight, meets IEC and
ANSI/ESD standards.
page 26 ESDBOOK
ng
SURFACE RESISTIVITY
i
st
500V 1M W 500G W
100V 100K W 100G W
10V 1K W 10GW
RESISTANCE METER
e
ENTER
T
OFF Vtest PROG
GIGALAB
the surface of the material, it is
expressed in W/square and
theoretically is 10 times greater than
the point to point resistance.
Measurements can be made using a
square probe with two parallel
electrodes or a concentric ring
probe, in compliance with
IEC61340-5-1 .
CONCENTRIC
RING PROBE
Always record:
T (C)
MATERIAL UNDER TEST Rh (%)
500G W
10GW
100G
1M W
1KW W
100K
RESISTANCE METER
500V
10V
100V
values, as the resistance
ENTER
MEASURE
GIGALAB
VOLUME RESISTANCE
ENTER
GIGALAB
PERSON TO GROUND
RESISTANCE
ESDBOOK page 27
n g some hand-held electrostatic instruments useful to locate
t i static charge problems
s
TeElectrostatic FIELDMETER
The accurate measurement of electrostatic fields requires the operator to be familiar
with this type of equipment.
Most hand-held meters require the measure to be taken at a fixed distance from the
object (typical distance is one inch). Equipment manufacturers typically specify that
the object being measured needs to have certain minimum dimensions. Objects
smaller than the minimum dimensions may not provide an accurate reading.
1 inch (25.4mm)
ground
the case
Electrostatic VOLTMETER
There exist noncontacting instruments that can provide accurate measurements at a
wide probe-to-surface spacing range and can inspect small charged areas on the
surface under test. The higher spot resolution capability is useful to locate charges on
non homogeneous materials.
5-25mm
ground
the case
page 28 ESDBOOK
g
tin
VERIFICATION OF AIR IONIZERS
s
Te IONIZATION TEST KIT
An ionization test kit can very quickly verify the proper functioning of an ionizer.
The ionization test kit should be grounded and placed in the ionized airflow to
measure the decay time and the balance of air ionization equipment, the
charger is used to charge an isolated plate applied on the field-meter.
charged
electrode placed
in the ionizer air
stream
charger
( 1000Vdc )
ionizer
ground digital field meter
the case
decay time
plate voltage
(adjustable)
ESDBOOK page 29
n g
ini
a
Tr STANDARDS: purchase, read and get familiar with the IEC 61340-5-1
Standards
ESD TEAM: establish and organise an ESD Team responsible for the
ESD control program.
r s
s ito
Vi Visitors entering the EPA shall behave properly to prevent any ESD
damage or danger.
In case of a conductive floor they shall wear ESD heel and toe
grounder, which also exist in the economic disposable version.
page 30 ESDBOOK
i s t
k l
e c
Ch Simple Audit Check List for ESD Control Program.
It is essential to implement corrective action if deficiencies are discovered.
YES NO
- Are personnel wearing grounded wrist straps at
the ESD protective workstations?
ESDBOOK page 31
ec o
Licefa
ION SYSTEMS
TRESTON