
REV. B 08/97
9
ADM14185E
PRELIMINARY
DATA
TECHNICAL
DEVICE
UNDER TEST
Although very little energy is contained within an ESD pulse,
the extremely fast rise time coupled with high voltages can cause
failures in unprotected semiconductors. Catastrophic destruction
can occur immediately as a result of arcing or heating. Even if
catastrophic failure does not occur immediately, the device may
suffer from parametric degradation which may result in degraded
performance. The cumulative effects of continuous exposure can
eventually lead to complete failure.
I-O lines are particularly vulnerable to ESD damage. Simply
touching or plugging in an I-O cable can result in a static dis-
charge which can damage or completely destroy the interface
product connected to the I-O port. Traditional ESD test meth-
ods such as the MIL-STD-883B method 3015.7 do not fully test
a products susceptibility to this type of discharge. This test was
intended to test a products susceptibility to ESD damage during
handling. Each pin is tested with respect to all other pins. There
are some important differences between the traditional test and
the IEC test:
(a) The IEC test is much more stringent in terms of discharge
energy. The peak current injected is over four times greater.
(b) The current rise time is significantly faster in the IEC test.
(c) The IEC test is carried out while power is applied to the device.
It is possible that the ESD discharge could induce latch-up in the
device under test. This test therefore is more representative of a real-
world I-O discharge where the equipment is operating normally with
power applied. For maximum peace of mind however, both tests
should be performed, therefore, ensuring maximum protection both
during handling and later during field service.
R1
R2
C1
HIGH
VOLTAGE
GENERATOR
ESD TEST METHOD
R2
C1
H. BODY MIL-STD883B
1.5k
100pF
IEC1000-4-2
330
150pF
Figure 21. ESD Test Standards
100
I
P
90
36.8
10
t
DL
t
RL
TIME t
Figure 22. Human Body Model ESD Current Waveform
100
I
P
90
10
TIME t
30ns
60ns
0.1 TO
1ns
Figure 23. IEC1000-4-2 ESD Current Waveform
The ADM14185E is tested using both the above mentioned test
methods. All pins are tested with respect to all other pins as per
the MIL-STD-883B specification. In addition all I-O pins are
under the following conditions:
(a) Power-OnNormal Operation
(b) Power-Off
4-2. The ADM14185E meets the most stringent compli-
ance level for both contact and for air-gap discharge. This
means that the products are able to withstand contact
of 15 kV.
Table IV. IEC1000-4-2 Compliance Levels
Level
Contact Discharge
kV
2
4
6
8
Air Discharge
kV
2
4
8
15
1
2
3
4
Table V. ADM14185E ESD Test Results
ESD Test Method
I-O Pins
Other Pins
MIL-STD-883B
IEC1000-4-2
Contact
Air
±15 kV
±2.5 kV
±8 kV
±15 kV
FAST TRANSIENT BURST TESTING (IEC1000-4-4)
IEC1000-4-4 (previously 801-4) covers electrical fast-
transient/burst (EFT) immunity. Electrical fast transients
occur as a result of arcing contacts in switches and relays.
The tests simulate the interference generated when for
example a power relay disconnects an inductive load. A
spark is generated due to the well known back EMF
effect. In fact the spark consists of a burst of sparks as the relay
contacts separate. The voltage appearing on the line, therefore,
consists of a bust of extremely fast transient impulses. A similar
effect occurs when switching on fluorescent lights.