The Importance Of Esd Protection In Discrete Semiconductor Design

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There are various that are associated with semiconductor components. According to reputable studies, 30% of the semiconductor failures are linked to electrostatic discharge (ESD). This is defined as a spontaneous transfer of charges due to an electrostatic field. This charge is likely to disrupt the normal behavior of other electrons in a  semiconductor device. Electrostatic discharge can cause different forms of damage ranging from a small leakage of signals to a major burnout of elements in a semiconductor component. Probably you might have experienced some electric shocks when handling your smartphone. Older models of smartphones were notorious for such problems and the main culprit was the  ESD.

To avert the dangers that are associated with ESD, discrete semiconductor companies have come up with an array of solutions to these problems. Some of these solutions are implemented at the design phase of the product manufacturing while others are implemented when manufacturing the actual components. Most of the solutions are geared toward protecting sensitive circuits and as well as components from the electrostatic field. For example, a discrete component may be designed to provide an alternative path to the flow of the static charge that has been generated by an ESD field.

While the use of ESD protective elements is rampant, most modern solutions entail coming up with agile designs that provide protection without too much effort. The Design process covers the precise positioning of all the components and elements that address all the risks associated with electrostatic discharge. Read on as we discuss how meticulous discrete semiconductor designs are solving all issues related to the ESD.

Designing discrete semiconductors with ESD protection

On average, a single ESD event is likely to induce an electric current of between 0.1-10 amps. This translates to the energy dissipation of between 10 to 100 watts.

While using ESD protective elements may work well when it comes to providing ESD protection, lately, discrete semiconductor components manufacturers have been focusing on the design aspect of the semiconductor components. One of the reasons is it has proven to be offering reliable protection and at the same time is a cost-effective solution.

The design of the semiconductor components has a direct impact to both the input and output pathways of the semiconductor devices.  However, the main focus of the design is to provide a path for the flow of the ESD discharge.  This means that the electrostatic charges that have been generated within the structure of the discrete semiconductor component should find their way out of the system without causing any damage to other components.

Under normal circumstances, the structures that were created while implementing the new ‘protective’ structure will remain inactive as long as the operations are constant. However, their modes of operation will change in case of an occurrence of the ESD. The protection structures will limit the supply voltage through the semiconductor component hence allowing safe discharge of the ESD charges. The structures tend to allow fast discharge of the excess current from the system.

Discrete semiconductor components that are used for ESD protection

When designing ESD protection solutions, manufacturers have to consider a number of discrete components. Let’s look at some of them and the roles that they play in providing ESD protection. These components include the following:

Diodes

These are simple components that are capable of providing ESD shieling in most applications. They are mostly incorporated into low-voltage devices. The protection feature of diodes comes in handy when they are forward-biased. In this state, a diode will have a low turn-on voltage and hence provide minimal resistance to the flow of current(including the charges that have been generated due to the ESD). The generated charges will find an easy path to flow out of the sensitive devices. However, the main issue of diodes is when they are reverse-biased. They will offer high resistance to the flow of charges, meaning that the generated electrostatic charges will not find an escape pathway.

Grounded  gate n-channel MOSFET

Grounded-gate n-channel MOSFETs are also used and incorporated in the discrete semiconductor designs to provide protection against the effects of ESD. They are normally used on circuits that contain CMOS.

Even though they have a similar structure to the MOS, GGNMOS are designed for optimum ESD protection. They operate on both active and snapback modes to protect critical components of the circuits from the dangers of electrostatic discharge.

Silicon-controlled rectifier

Rectification is another effective way of protecting circuits from the electrostatic discharge. In this case, silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCR) are used to execute this task. Silicon is an ideal material since it is not only a semiconductor material but is also bipolar in nature. The rectifier ensures that any elements of generated static charges flow from the circuit and component. Optimized designs of SCR are used for facilitating maximum ESD protection.

Conducting full ESD analysis

After designing discrete semiconductor components, the next stage is to carry out a full analysis so as to establish the presence of electrostatic discharge. While doing the analysis, manufacturers have to consider the fact that ESD failures tend to originate from different sources, including from the protective components.

The analysis covers all the parts of the circuit, including all the metal connections as they are usually considered high-risk sources of ESD. Semiconductor companies use advanced tools to analyze the presence of ESD on their devices and circuits. These tools have the capacity to pinpoint the exact sources of the electrostatic discharge. There are also advanced tools that can simulate the generation of ESD in electric circuits and devices. Once the issues have been unraveled, necessary corrections can be made to the circuits and components.

Conclusion

A significant percentage of discrete semiconductor component failures are linked to the electrostatic discharge. The charges generated due to ESD can cause damages of different proportions on the electronic components.

The good news is there are various solutions to the ESD failure and one of them is the implementation of agile and protective designs on the components. As we have seen one aspect of the ESD protection design entails using high-quality discrete semiconductor components. You should consider involving reputable sourcing agents if you want access to such components.

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