Investigations Into Unintended ESD Generator Artifacts: Prepulse and Postpulse

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) generator may create pre- and postpulses in addition to the main pulse. These artifacts can cause additional device under test (DUT) failures. The origin and magnitude of these pulses were investigated in four commercial generators using measurements and simulation. Two types of unwanted pulses were identified. One is caused by the reignition of the spark, and the ...