Electrostatic discharge (abbreviated as ESD) is one of the important reasons for chip damage or failure that often occurs during the manufacturing, transportation, and use of integrated circuits. Industrial surveys indicate that about 40% of failures are related to ESD/EOS (excessive electrical stress). Therefore, it is essential to conduct specialized research on ESD and find control methods to obtain better and more reliable chips. As the size of chips continues to shrink, ESD issues become more prominent, becoming an important problem that needs to be addressed during the manufacturing and application of the new generation of integrated circuit chips. As an important part of improving the ESD protection design process, failure analysis technology plays a significant role in enhancing the reliability of integrated circuits. With the continuous increase in the integration of modern integrated circuits, the difficulty of failure analysis is also increasing, requiring more advanced and accurate equipment and technology, along with reasonable failure analysis steps, to improve the success rate of analysis.
The four main test models for electrostatic discharge in the electronics industry: human model, machine model, device charging model, and electric field induction model.

The harm of static electricity to semiconductor components.

1. Forms of static electricity harm.

In the field of electronics, the forms of static electricity harm can be broadly summarized as follows:

1.1 Static adsorption:

1) For the semiconductor device manufacturing industry, the mechanical effects of static electricity can cause floating dust in the workshop to be adsorbed onto semiconductor chips; dust may also adhere to and reside on objects outside the chip, but due to various sudden external forces, when the dust is stirred up again, it may still be adsorbed onto the chip. Even a small amount of very fine dust particles adhering to the chip can severely affect the yield of semiconductor devices.

2) For the use of semiconductor devices, when the device is in operation, it can adsorb dust particles onto the device surface, causing a decrease in insulation resistance between devices, which can severely affect device operation.

1.2 Device breakdown caused by electrostatic discharge:

When a charged object forms a discharge path through the device or when the charged device itself has a discharge path, electrostatic discharge occurs, causing damage to the device.

1) Electric field strength required for breakdown:

Air: 3×10e6V.m

Ceramic: 3×10e7 V.m

Silicon dioxide: 1×10e9 V.m

2) Hard breakdown: Permanent failure such as one-time chip medium breakdown, burning, etc.

3) Soft breakdown: Causes degradation of device performance or decline in parameter indicators, becoming a hidden danger. Changes in device parameters can likely cause the entire machine to operate abnormally or fail to work after a period of operation. Therefore, soft breakdown poses a greater threat than hard breakdown.

1.3 Electrostatic induction: When conductors and dielectrics are placed in an electrostatic field, positive or negative charges are induced on them, and the amplitude of the static voltage depends on the strength of the electrostatic field. The electrostatic sources generated during the semiconductor manufacturing process can induce high static voltages on semiconductor wires, tools, device packaging containers, etc., leading to discharge in semiconductor chip media.

1.4 Electromagnetic pulses generated during electrostatic discharge: Electrostatic discharge can produce electromagnetic pulse interference with frequency bands ranging from hundreds of kilohertz to tens of megahertz, with levels reaching tens of millivolts. When pulse interference couples to computers and low-level digital circuits, it can cause the circuits to malfunction. Strong energy pulse interference can damage electrostatic sensitive devices.

2. Electrostatic sensitivity of sensitive devices:

Generally, it is stipulated that devices with electrostatic damage voltage not less than 16000V are classified as electrostatic insensitive devices, while those less than 16000V are classified as electrostatic sensitive devices. Electrostatic sensitivity grading:

Level 1: Not exceeding 1999V

Level 2: 2000～3999V

Level 3: 4000～15999V

ESDS products and their components should have ESD protection circuits, with the minimum requirement being able to withstand ESD voltage values of:

Components: Not less than 2000V

Products: Not less than 4000V

Grading of electrostatic sensitivity of electronic components:

Level 1 (≤1999V) ESDS components

a. Microwave devices (Schottky diodes, point contact diodes, and f>1GHZ detection diodes);

b. MOS field effect transistors (MOSFET);

c. Junction field effect transistors (JFET);

d. Surface acoustic wave devices (SAW);

e. Charge-coupled devices (CCD);

f. Precision voltage reference diodes (linear or load voltage adjustment rate less than 0.5%);

g. Operational amplifiers (OP AMP);

h. Integrated circuits (IC);

i. Mixed circuits (composed of Level 1 ESDS components);

j. Very high-speed integrated circuits (VHSIC);

k. Thin film resistors.

l. Thyristor rectifiers (P t≤100mW, I c<100mA).

Level 2 (2000～3999V) ESDS devices:

a. MOS field effect transistors;

b. Junction field effect transistors;

c. Operational amplifiers;

d. Integrated circuits;

e. Very high-speed effect transistors.

d．集成电路；

e．特高速效应晶体管；

f. Precision resistor network (RZ type);

g. Hybrid circuit (composed of level 2 ESDS components);

h. Low power bipolar transistor (P t≤100mW, I c<100mA).

Level 3 (4000～15999V) ESDS components:

c. Operational amplifiers;

d. Integrated circuits;

e. Very high-speed effect transistors.

d．集成电路；

e. Ultra-high-speed integrated circuit;

f. All other electronic components not included in ESDS level 1 or 2;

g. Small signal diode (P<1W, I<1A);

h. General silicon rectifier;

i. Thyristor rectifier (I>0.175A);

j. Small power bipolar transistors (350mW < p < 100mW and 400mW < p < 100mW);

k. Optoelectronic devices (photodiodes, phototransistors, optocouplers);

l. Chip resistors;

m. Hybrid circuit (composed of level 3 ESDS components);

n. Piezoelectric crystal.

3. Devices and parts that are susceptible to damage

Devices with the following structural characteristics are susceptible to electrostatic damage:

Small chip size, small thermal capacity, small signal devices, high-frequency devices, fine metallization, shallow EB junctions, thin gate oxide layers, etc.

Parts of the device that are susceptible to damage include:

High resistance parts of input and output circuits, edges of diffusion areas, edges of metallization areas, and other regions.

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