Xaver Guggenmos

Does the ESD-failure current obtained by transmission-line pulsing always correlate to human body model tests?

Two different technologies serve as examples that the degree of correlation between ESD-failure currents obtained by transmission-line pulsing (TLP) and human body model (HBM) is a matter of the technology under investigation. Stressing a device with HBM or TLP can lead to different failure modes and, as a consequence, to a miscorrelation between the two test methods. Optimising a technology or a protection device only by means of TLP can easily lead to false conclusions.

ESD Monitor circuit—a tool to investigate the susceptibility and failure mechanisms of the charged device model

ESD-monitor circuits are introduced and used to evaluate failure mechanisms and susceptibilities with respect to the charged device model. The performance of protection elements is studied by means of transmission line pulsing, electron beam probing and non-contact, non-socketed CDM tests. The capacitance connected to the source of the protection transistor and the resistance of this connection are critical. With respect to the circuitry and protection element, CDM-failure signatures of the monitor vary from an energy induced junction failure to a voltage induced gate oxide breakdown.