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Full Beginner's Guide To ESD Protection Circuit Design For PCB

This document provides a full beginner's guide to electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit design for printed circuit boards (PCBs). It covers ESD event types and characteristics, failure mechanisms, protection goals and strategies, core components, designing and simulating protection circuits, layout considerations, and testing ESD protection schemes. The guide aims to educate readers on basic ESD concepts and provide recommendations for adding robust ESD protection to PCBs during manufacturing, assembly, handling and operation.

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132 views

Full Beginner's Guide To ESD Protection Circuit Design For PCB

This document provides a full beginner's guide to electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit design for printed circuit boards (PCBs). It covers ESD event types and characteristics, failure mechanisms, protection goals and strategies, core components, designing and simulating protection circuits, layout considerations, and testing ESD protection schemes. The guide aims to educate readers on basic ESD concepts and provide recommendations for adding robust ESD protection to PCBs during manufacturing, assembly, handling and operation.

Uploaded by

jack
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

Full Beginner’s Guide to ESD


Protection Circuit Design for PCB
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) involves sudden current spikes that can damage
electronics. All components have rated immunity levels beyond which failures
occur. Robust PCB ESD protection schemes prevent such field-induced and
transmission-mode discharges during manufacturing, assembly, handling, or
operation. This guide covers basic ESD concepts followed by design,
components, simulations, layout and testing considerations when adding
robustness.

ESD Events Types and Characteristics

External ESD strikes involve rapid transfer of electric charge between bodies at
different potentials. The main ESD model consists of an equivalent circuit with
three elements:

where:

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 Cd — Device capacitance

 R1 — Body resistance (~1.5kΩ for Human)

 Ls — Stray inductance (~10nH to 1uH)

Typical ESD events specifications:

 Voltage — 0.8kV to 15kV

 Rise Time — 5 to 30ns

 Current — 1 to 60A

 Energy — 1 to 300μJ

 Duration — 100 to 400ns

The extremely brief transient threats arise via four primary ESD event types:

1. Human Body Model (HBM) — Discharge when person touches device


involving finger capacitance and body resistance values per model above.

2. Transmission Line Pulse (TLP) — Simulated strike acting through a


transmission line matching impedances to establish voltage/current ESD
relationship.

3. IEC 61000–4–2 — International standard representing HBM-like events


using a 150pF capacitor & 330Ω resistor representing discharge probe tests.

4. Charged Device Model (CDM) — Sudden discharge spike when


packaged device itself carries charge then makes metal contact momentarily
equalizing imbalance.

While HBM and IEC events model external discharges, CDM represents
self-discharge of device handling. Robust ESD protection circuits address all
modalities.

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ESD Failure Mechanisms

Without protection, ESD-induced current spikes can irreversibly damage PCB


components through multiple mechanisms:

Thermal Second Breakdown

Excessive transient heat causes unstable thermal runaway leakage ultimately


shorting junctions.

Gate Rupture

Thin insulating oxide layers in transistors fail under moderate ESD voltages.

Metallization Burnout

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Narrow IC metal tracks and bonds fuse from current crowding inducing
extreme densites.

Robust clamping circuits divert transients safely before reaching susceptible


nodes.

ESD Protection Goals and Strategies

The core goal involves maintaining voltages below component damage


thresholds. This requires steering currents around instead of through sensitive
terminals. Key concepts include:

Low Impedance Shunt Path

Create intentional track to ground allowing transient spike bleeding while


limiting node voltage rise.

Spatial Shielding

Place non-critical components peripherally “absorbing” ESD instead of


propagation deeper into system.

Temporal Suppression

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Utilize fast-reacting suppression elements to clamp early within strike


transient window.

Common protection placements include:

Parallel Protection

Components connect across terminals intended for shielding.

Series Protection

Devices route between conductor and pad/pin needing isolation from events.

Steering Networks

Use diodes routing ESD currents away from sensitive nodes into intentional
shunt paths.

Core Components for ESD Protection

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Electrical overstress suppression devices get placed strategically based on


modalities. Main component types include:

TVS Diodes

Bidirectional transient voltage suppressors (TVS) contain p-n junctions


conducting heavily only when triggered allowing shunting. Variants feature
multiple mini-diodes stacked serially supporting higher clamping.

Thyristor Surge Protectors

Silicon crowbar thyristors remain nonconductive until triggered then latch


creating sustained short circuit persisting even if current drops until reset
occurs via mains interruption.

Gas Discharge Tubes

Inert gases ionize at specific voltages creating momentary spark gap switch
shorting when breakdown levels exceeded. Reset automatically when voltage
drops. Withstand very high but slower surges above other devices’ capabilities.

Polymer ESD Suppressors

Compounds like polyethylenes and polythylenes become temporarily


conductive under ESD then self-heal post-event avoiding permanent shorts.
Withstand direct lightning strikes.

MOV Varistors

Metal oxide varistors (MOVs) act resistively when below clamping voltage but
change to very low impedance upon transient threshold triggering safely
shunting energy and crowbarring voltages before failure levels reached.

Designing and Simulating ESD Protection

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After identifying critical IC supply pins, data bus terminals, and other nodes
needing shielding from ESD due to sensitivity, the next stage involves circuit
design and simulations.

1. Determine Immunity Levels

Gather absolute maximum ratings from component datasheets detailing


voltage tolerances and ESD withstand failure thresholds for each interface.
This establishes minimum clamping needs.

2. Size Protection Elements

Properly rated TVS diodes, thyristors, varistors or other suppressors meeting


designated clamping voltages matched to established immunity limits get
chosen. Inadequate ratings risk failure while over-specification wastes money,
PCB space and slows response times.

3. Simulate Strikes

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Model protection schemes and simulate strikes in SPICE watching current


flows while monitoring node voltage amplitudes to verify clamping dynamics
defend vulnerable pins staying under failure conditions.

4. Refine Protection

Iterate adjustments to protection elements values and placements until


achieving robust suppression while minimizing capacitive loading on signals
during non-ESD conditions.

ESD Protection Circuit Layout Considerations

Proper PCB layout strengthens protections efficacy by avoiding unintended


issues degrading performance:

1. Minimize Loop Areas

Keep component grounding paths as short as possible since parasitic


inductance weakens suppression — a primary factor differentiating simulator
results from real-world circuit dynamics.

2. Carefully Reference Grounds

Use a single ground point for ESD shunts paths preventing voltage differences
from secondary current return flows through alternate ground paths. Separate
power grounds via ferrite bead isolation.

3. Enable Thermal Relief

Under extreme strikes, individual ESD elements can overheat. Add copper fills
allowing heat conduction away maintaining cooler operation and improved
responses.

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Careful layout of circuits matches simulations more closely ensuring proper


real world functionality.

Testing ESD Protection Schemes

Once implemented on prototyped PCBs, validate overall efficacy before final


integration:

1. Establish Baseline

Verify functionality along with voltage and timing manners under normal
operating conditions before assessments.

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2. Simulate ESD Events

Using external benchtop ESD generators like noiseKen discharge probes,


induce simulated strikes representing HBM, IEC or CDM models at graduated
levels up to max exposed limits monitoring for failures.

3. Verify Post-Test Operation

After maximum discharges survived without permanent damage, revalidate


proper functionality, especially for analog sensitive front ends confirming
robustness.

4. Iterate Further Enhancements

If failures manifest unexpectedly early below rated voltages, probe scopes to


reveal response deficiencies and guide design improvements like added
capacitance levels or secondary shunt elements at weak points.

Thorough testing methodology matched to applications environments ensures


ESD resilience evalulates shortcomings missed during simulations only.

Questions and Answers

Q: Why do IC data sheet ESD tolerance levels often differ from PCB
assembly factory requirements?

A: Component Manufacturers state robustness in terms of standardized HBM,


MM or CDM models based on simulated strikes to naked pins. However,
assembled PCBs undergo real-world handling like manual manipulation,
automated robotic transport, solder reflow, wash chemicals, and higher field
charge accumulations demanding more stringent 8kV protection.

Q: Where should bulk capacitance for ESD suppression circuits


connect relative to other components?

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A: Bulk capacitors like tantalum, polymer, or electrolytics helping TVS diodes


handle faster rise times and peak currents should mount immediately adjacent
to minimize parasitic inductance effects dampening responses.

Q: How does ground layer layout affect ESD clamping


performance?

A: Ground planes provide beneficial distributed capacitance but require


properly spaced perforations allowing transient currents to flow weighted
towards suppression elements under ESD instead of components needing
protection for optimal steering.

Q: Why do gas discharge tubes (GDTs) integrated into sockets never


actuate during benchtop testing?

A: High actuation voltages of GDTs intend protection only under extreme


System ESD levels above typical strikes induced through common test
equipment. However, once triggered, latch-up persists becoming an electrical
short unable to reset absent mains interruption making GDTs impractical
protections for low voltage circuits despite higher current handling
capabilities.

Q: What are recommended PCB design clearances between ESD


suppressors and affected pins?

A: Locate clamping components as absolutely close as possible (<10mm ideal)


to protected nodes using short, wide traces to minimize parasitic inductance
and resistance which counteracts diversion attempts. However, maintain at
least 0.3mm distance between charged elements and adjacent pins to prevent
unintended coupling or thermal transfer issues.

Conclusion

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ESD events pose consistent threats to electronics during manufacturing,


transportation and operations. Careful evaluation of sensitivity levels followed
by robust clamping circuits divert currents away from susceptible terminals
preventing irreversible damage. Smooth interaction between proper schematic
design simulations and mindful PCB layout techniques followed by testing
verification ensures implemented solutions match models providing reliable
protection from fast rise time transient overvoltages.

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