ESD DETECTOR

Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka

Faculty of Electronics Engineering and Computer Engineering
Bachelor of Electronics Engineering (Telecommunications Electronics) with Honours
BENT 3122 Advanced Electromagnetics

Yeo Wei Cheng1, Oh Zhew Kim2, Nurul Aqilah binti Mat Nor3, Nurul Aida Afifah binti Sahar4, Nur Amirah binti Nor
Azlan5
1

B021310059
B021310072
3
B021310266
4
B021310270
2

B021310131

Abstract - Static electricity is the electricity that does not

move and also a surface phenomenon. The greater
amount of charge will be stored in greater surface area.
But once the static charge moves from one surface to
another, it becomes electrostatic discharge (ESD). ESD
may destroy the normal operation of an electronic system,
causing equipment malfunction. It can change the
electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device,
degrading or even damage it. In this experiment, we will
introduce the basic theory, important of electrostatic
discharge and the use of ESD Detector. The Gausss law
and Maxwell-Ampere law were applied for this
experiment. We can deduce that there also several factor
that will affect the ESD detector performance which is the
length of antenna and the humidity environment. The
LED of detector will on if detect any ESD. By using Pico
Scope 6 Software, the graph between voltage and the
wavelength was produced and being analyse.
Keywords: Static electricity, electrostatic discharge current,
electrical characteristic, ESD current waveform, Gausss
law, Maxwell-Ampere law.

I. INTRODUCTION
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) has been along
for a long time. However, it only becomes an issue
after the widespread use of solid-state electronics. The
Electrostatic Discharge phenomenon is a great threat to
all electronic devices and ICs. It can cause a
multifunction to a device. An electric charge that
passing rapidly from a charged body to another can
seriously harm the last one. There are many ESD
sources such as insulator and conductors alike. They
are known as triboelectric series, which defines the
materials whether it positive or negative charge. The
amount of electrostatic charge that can accumulate on
any item is dependent on its capacity to store a charge,
for example, the human body.

ESD can occur in variety of forms. One of the

most common is through human contact with sensitive
devices. Human touch is only sensitive on ESD levels
that exceed 4,000V. From the recent research, they
found out that human body and its clothing capable of
storing between 500V and 2,500V electrostatic during
the normal workday. This is above the level that
damages circuits yet below the human perception
threshold. Other sources of ESD damage is
troubleshooting electronic equipment or handling of
printed circuit boards without using an electrostatic
wrist strap, placement of synthetic materials such as
plastic and Styrofoam, on or near electronic equipment
and rapid movement of air near electronic equipment.
All of this scenario can cause the ESD but a charged
object does not necessarily have to contact the item for
an ESD event to occur.
According to David, he mentioned that Gauss
Law of Electricity states that the total electric flux
through any closed surface is equal to the total charge
enclosed by the surface. [1] In simple way, electrostatic
discharge is a spark. Thus, ESD detector is creates for
detect the discharge from a component to metal tool,
discharge between components and discharge from
human body. [2] It is creates to prevent the harmful
effect in industries so that the losses can be minimize.
By detector, it can reduce hardware failures that due to
electrostatic discharge. It is helpful in prevent static
electricity and electrostatic discharge in industrial
problem and minimize the cost. It also decreases the
impacts of ESD damage in productivity and product
reliability in virtually aspect of the electronic
environment.

II. PROBLEM STATEMENT

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) issues have now
become the second-most prevalent issue other than
radiated emissions. ESD is an issue with the
widespread use of solid-state electronics. If a product
has exhibits random upsets, such as loss of data or
unusual circuit resets, it could very well be caused by
ESD. ESD events are important indicators of excessive
charge accumulation in a given environment. ESD can
cause damage to micro electronic equipment such as
computer chips and other electronic components. As a
result of numerous incidents attributed to ESD
initiations, there is a great need for having proven
methods of testing sensitive materials.
III. OBJECTIVES
1. To develop an ESD detector that is a diagnostic
tool for manufacturing environments that are
sensitive to ESD.
2. To analyze an ESD detector which is useful in
correlating unusual circuit upset with specify ESD
event.
3. To develop an ESD detector for indicating
excessive charge accumulation in a given
environment.
IV. METHODOLOGY
This is the project methodology which starts
with research. All of the members will take part in
doing a research about the project. All of the
information from the research will be used to complete
the proposal which is as the guideline of the project
before submitted. Next, design of the circuit will be
constructed. Furthermore, the construction of the
hardware will start after all the components are
prepared. After the construction of the hardware is
completed, the circuit will be tested again to ensure the
circuit functions properly. All the result from the
testing will be recorded before submit.

Figure 1: Project flowchart

V. RELATED THEORY AND PRINCIPLE

Electrostatic discharge is a swift discharge of
electric current between two objects with different
charges and different number of electron. The
exchange of electron will result in ESD. The most
common example of ESD is the shock that we receive
when we walk across a carpet or when touching a
metal doorknob. The extreme example of ESD is
lightning bolt. However, most of ESD event are
harmless and it can be an expensive problem in many
industrial environments.
For controlling electrostatic discharge, good
understanding is need on how electrostatic charge
occurs in the first place. As stated before, electrostatic
charge is most commonly created by the contact and
separation of two materials. The materials may be
similar or dissimilar although dissimilar materials tend
to liberate higher levels of static charge. There are
several causes of ESD, but the most common are static
electricity and electrostatic induction. Static electricity
are produce through tribocharging, and electrostatic
induction results from rearrangement of electrical
charge as an object. Generally, tribocharging results

when the surface of an object gains negative electrons

as another object loses electrons and becomes
positively charged. When opposite charged objects
come into contact with each other, electrons transfer
energy and then separate, creating a type of contact
electrification of electrical charges.

between materials. The atoms of a material with no

static charge have an equal number of protons (+) in
their nucleus and electrons (-) orbiting the nucleus. In
Figure 1, Material "A" consists of atoms with equal
numbers of protons and electrons. Material B also
consists of atoms with equal numbers of protons and
electrons and both are electrically neutral. When the
two materials are placed in contact and then separated,
negatively charged electrons are transferred from the
surface of one material to the surface of the other
material. The material that loses electrons and the
material that gains electrons will depend on the nature
of the two materials. The material that loses electrons
becomes positively charged, while the material that
gains electrons is negatively charged. This is shown in
Figure 2.
The basic ESD event that causes electronic devices to
fail

Figure 2: The triboelectric charge, materials make intimate contact

ESD damage is usually caused by one of three

events which is direct electrostatic discharge to the
device, electrostatic discharge from the device or fieldinduced discharges. To determine whether damage
occurs or not to an ESD sensitive item (ESDS) by an
ESD event is through the device's ability to dissipate
the energy of the discharge or withstand the voltage
levels involved. The level at which a device fails is
known as the devices ESD sensitivity or ESD
susceptibility.
The ESD Source
There are several ESD sources. They are
conductors, furniture, vinyl floor, printer, paper and
many more. The type of material, type of clothing,
body resistance and relative humidity are the factor that
causes ESD. Note need to be taken that, when the
humidity is high, the potential voltage will be low.
The ESD Control Protection

Figure 3: The triboelectric charge - seperation

Electrostatic charge can be creating by contact

and separation of material known as triboelectric
charging. The word triboelectric comes from the
Greek words. The tribo mean to rub and elektros
mean amber which is a fossilized resin from
prehistoric trees. It involves the transfer of electrons

The ability to dissipate the energy of the

discharge or withstand the voltage can determine the
damage to an ESDS by ESD event. The test procedures
based on the models of ESD events can help to define
the sensitivity of components to ESD. Although it is
known that there is very rarely a direct correlation
between the discharges in the test procedures and realworld ESD events, the ESD sensitivity of electronic
components gives some guidance in determining the
degree of ESD control protection required. The ESD
withstand voltage is the highest voltage level that does
not cause device failure and the device passes all tested
lower voltages.

VI. LITERATURE REVIEW

Pavlos K. Katsivelis, Georgios P. Fotis,
Ioannis F. Gonos, Tryfon G. Koussiouris and Ioannis
A. Stathopulos (2010) had examined electrostatic
discharge current linear approch and circuit design
method [1]. They stated that ESD current must follow
the shape of HBM pulse which divided into two parts.
The first peak is Initial Peak which is causes by the
discharge of the arm and generates the maximum
current while the second peak is caused by the
discharge of the body.
Next, by referred to the journal written by C.
Jettanasen on Design of Electrostatic Discharge Event
Detector, his propose about the designation an ESD
detector that can help us to know whether ESD event
occurs in the considered area or not. His discuss more
about the effect and impact of ESD on electronics and
electrical devices. For example, in semiconductor
based devices, the ESD can cause severe damage such
as damage to oxide film, junction destruction and
melting of wiring film [2]. Human Body Model was
used as the first ESD model implemented to test ESD
effects to giant magnetoresistive (GMR) heads or
electronic devices. The waveform that is produced
from this model will help us to know about the
characteristics of ESD signal and then ESD detection
circuit will be design. First of all, the antenna will
receive electromagnetics wave generated by ESD
events. Then this signal will be amplified by using RF
amplifier. Lastly the signal will be pulsed in to be able
to count the number of ESD detection.
Other than that, William B. Kuhn has also
been conducted a research about an ESD Detection
Circuit and Associated Metal Fuse Investigations in
CMOS Processes. This research is about the
designation of circuit to detect ESD events using thin
metal fuses for memory [3]. This research has been
experimentally verified in a commercial CMOS
process to operate with 500 V or higher human body
model (HBM) discharges.
Moreover, by referring to the journal on
Capturing real world ESD stress with event detector
written by Agha Jahanzeb and his friends, they
proposed their study on an application on an
application of a wireless event detector to evaluate and
solve a customer issue which was not reproducible by
means of standard ESD test [4]. The event detector was
calibrated with the help of standard CDM equipment
giving a typical ~6 mV /A response in close proximity
to the event. A Styrofoam cup was used to create high
stress events resulted in the same failing signature as
the field returns which were detected with the help of

the event detector. The discharge current obtained from

the event detector was 20 to 30 A which additionally
and clearly correlated to the stress level obtained from
a charged board test. Their study has shown the
usefulness to remotely measure the stress waveform
and help debug production line issues resulting in
unexpected failures.
The study on GMR heads as ESD detectors to
detect a direct assessment of subtle ESD was written
by Luo, J. Sam, Yeh, Chin-Yu, Sanayei, and Ali. There
have demonstrated the importance and the
effectiveness of using GMR heads as ESD detectors in
new qualifications [5]. From their observation, they
clearly found that there are subtle ESD transients
occurring from time to time during the switching. They
also able to focus their investigation on the switching
process and fix the ESD problem.
Lastly, an article of journal written by
Thongpull, Jindapetch, and Teerapabkajorndet, on
Wireless ESD Event Locator System in Hard Disk
Drive Manufacturing Environments. They have
presented about two wireless systems namely an
electromagnetic interference (EMI) and strength-based
system and a received signal strength indicator (RSSI)Based system that located electrostatic discharge
(ESD) events in hard disk drive (HDD) manufacturing
environments [6]. The EMI-strength-based system is
composed of four EMI detectors and estimates an ESD
event position during an enhanced trilateration method.
Whereas, the RSSI-based system consists of three
stationary wireless sensor nodes and one mobile
wireless sensor node. The RSSI-based system can
support a larger area compared with the EMI-strengthbased system.
VII. CIRCUIT OPERATION
The equipment and materials used to complete this
project are listed in Table 1:
Table 1: Equipment and materials list

Equipment and Materials

Quantity

2N3819 Field Effect Transistor (FET)

Standard 9-volt battery with cap

1M Resistor

Red Light Emitting Diode (LED)

Flyswatter

The procedure of the circuit operation is as shown in

the following:

Figure 6: Jumper wires connected to flyswatter

Figure 6 shows two jumper wires were connected to

the flyswatter. The longer jumper wire is positive
terminal while the shorter jumper wire is negative
terminal
Figure 4: The circuit diagram to be constructed

1.
2.

3.
4.
5.
6.

The circuit was constructed as Figure 4.

The jumper wires with positive and negative
terminal on the flyswatter were touched together
in order to produce the spark.
The status of the LED was observed and
recorded.
The distance between the flyswatter and antenna
was varied.
The respond was observed.
The length of antenna was varied and the LED
responds were recorded.
VIII. CIRCUIT TESTING RESULT

Figure 7: Spark produced from jumper wires

Figure 7 shows a spark is produced by touching the

two jumper wires with positive and negative terminal
on the flyswatter.
IX. EXPECTED RESULT

Figure 5: The circuit design

The circuit is constructed as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 8: The hardware circuit with flyswatter

Figure 9: Circuit with LED lighted up and spark produced

Figure 10: Graph of Voltage against Wavelength

The hardware circuit design with flyswatter

was as shown in Figure 8 and Figure 9. Figure 9 shows
the spark produced when the jumper wires with
positive and negative terminal are touched with each
other and caused the LED lights up. The spark will be
produced is due to the short circuit. Once the
accumulated charges reach the certain level at
breakdown point, the flyswatter will act as the ESD
producer. The spark produced from the jumper wires
which touched with each other will release the wave.
The antenna in ESD detector will detect the
TEM plane wave. The LED will light up after the TEM
plane wave is detected. This is due to it is triggered by
the JFET. Thus, the FET acts as a switch. Besides, the
length of antenna will affect the performance of the
ESD detector. The longer the length of antenna, the
plane wave in further distance between spark produced
by the two jumper wires and circuit will be detected.
The shorter the length of antenna, the plane wave in
shorter distance between spark produced by the two
jumper wires and circuit will be detected.
Moreover, there are two sources where the
spark produced by the two jumper wires is acts as a
primary source while the antenna is acts as a secondary
source. At the primary source region, charge density,
and current density, are not equal to 0 and a field will
be produced by the spark. The field that was generated
will propagated as vector wave through the free space.
At outside the primary source region which is in free
space,

and

are equal to 0. Hence,

and

. Once the primary source impinge upon

another region that can sustain charges and current for
a long period, the field interact with the charges and
current in second region.

Figure 11: Graph of Voltage against Wavelength (Zoom In Version)

The Figure 10 and Figure 11 show that the

electric field (Ez) produced by spark obtained from the
Pico Scope 6 software. The graph is voltage against
wavelength. The Pico Scope 6 is a PC based
automotive oscilloscope which is also known as a
labscope. It turns the laptop or desktop into a powerful
diagnostic tool and shows the phenomenon where what
is really going on with a vehicles electronic circuits.
Figure 11 shows that -1.7 V is obtained.
When the ON button on flyswatter is clicked,
the electron is starts accumulating at the surface of the
plate. This is due to charge is produced and then
electric field is start to produce. When the electric field
accumulate until it achieves breakdown electric field,
the spark will be produced. The sharp sine wave
obtained in PicoScope 6 once the spark is produced.
Based on the graph of voltage against wavelength, the
wave is produced constantly before the sharp sine wave
is obtained as the electric field is produced when the
flyswatter ON button is clicked. The graph produced
after the sharp sine wave becomes weaker due to the
accumulated charges are discharge from the surface of
the plate. Therefore, it produces a weaker electric field.

X. DISCUSSION
ESD events are useful in correlating unusual
circuit with specific ESD events. ESD also one of
important indicators of excessive charge accumulation
in a given environment where they are may be
detrimental
to
manufacturing
process
inn
semiconductor or LCD industries. ESD detector is
very useful to improve the reliability and performance
of electrical utility. The heat from the ESD event is
extremely hot. The intense heat from the charge can
melt or vaporize the tiny arts in the card and this will
cause the device to fail.
In this project, when the negative objects turn
the LED off, it lights again when removed while
positive objects make the LED bright, then dark when
removed. Actually the positive and negative object can
be anything. For example, contact between human
hand and metal knob that produce ESD. The human
hand is in negative charge and the metal knob is in
positive charge. So once the hand is near to the metal
knob, the ESD occur which mean that the negative
charge from the human hand will transfer to the knob

the same time release the electric field at the speed of

light.
Other than that, FET will acts as a switching
device in the circuit. It is used to control current flow
through the LED and it is very sensitive to static
charges in the air. Besides, ESD also demonstrates
some of the characteristics common to field effect
transistors (FET's). We need to make sure that the
battery is not connecting until everything had hooked
exactly right. If not, the FET or the LED is possible to
burn out if they are connected incorrectly.
In future the ESD detector can be
implementing in the larger scale. For example in
semiconductor industries, before workers proceed to
their workstation they need to undergo scanner to
ensure there is no charges accumulate on their body.
They also may wear a wrist strap when working with
devices or may wear ESD control footwear and work
on an ESD floor mat that causes the electrostatic
charge to go into the ground instead of into the device.
XI. CONCLUSION

There are 2 major causes that will affect the

performance of the ESD detector which are humidity
environment and antenna length. For the long antenna,
it will prefer since it detects the plane wave in longer
distance between spark produced and circuit. This is
because the frequency produced by the plane wave is
very small that make a shorter antenna having
difficulty in detecting the wave smaller frequency. So,
the longer the antenna length will detect the weaker
frequency. The weaker frequency will have larger
wavelength. Thus, the longer distance of the wave can
be detected.

In conclusion, the ESD detector has

successfully developed. The laws such as Gausss
law and Maxwell-Ampere law had been applied in
this project. The electric field is produce when there
is present of charges while there is a flow of
charges, there must be a current flow. Thus, the
magnetic field will be formed. Next, several factors
will affect the performance of the ESD detector
which is the length of the antenna and humidity
environment.

For the low humidity environment, its

allowed the circuit respond better at much larger
distance. This is due to the stronger separation of
electric charge can be produced at low humidity. Moist
air had allowed the static electricity dissipate more
easily compared to dry air.

We would like to express our great appreciation to

Madam Najmiah Radiah binti Mohamad, our lecturer
for advance EMT, for guiding us for our assignment,
which is ESD detector. We would also thankful for his
valuable and constructive suggestions during the
planning and development of this project. His
willingness to give his time so generously has been
very much appreciated.

ESD detector will detect the plane wave.

According to Gauss law of electricity, the presents of
charges will produce electric field. When the electric
field achieve breakdown electric field, ionisation
process happens when the electron escape form the
metal and hits the molecules in the air. The molecule
will release an electron from its atom. This process
happens simultaneously that form a conducting channel
(spark). The conducting produces current flow in the
opposite side. According to Maxwell-Amperes law,
current carrying conductor produce magnetic field at

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We would also like to thank our entire group

member who has given more commitment in
completing the project and the given time. We would
also thank the laboratory assistance for allocating time
for us and offering their help for us in completing the
circuit.
Finally, we would also thank all our parents for
their encouragement and support of our project.

REFERENCES

[1] Katsivelis, P. K, Fotis G. P, Gonos I. F, Koussiouris T. G,

Stathopulos I. A. Stathopulos (2010). Electrostatic Discharge
Current Linear Approach and Circuit Design Method, pp. 3-4.
[2] Jettanasen, C (2011). Design of Electrostatic Discharge Event
Detector, pp.1303-1307
[3] Kuhn, W. B. (2013). Characterizing Spurious Responses in Radio
Receivers. Radio and wireless symposium, pp. 22-23.
[4] A. J., K. W., & J. H. (September). Capturing real world ESD
stress with event detector. Electrical Overstress/Electrostatic
Discharge Symposium, (11-16), September, 1-5. Retrieved May
31, 2016, from
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org.libproxy.utem.edu.my/xpls/icp.jsp?arn
umber=6045590.
[5] Luo, J. S., C. Y., & A. S. (September 2001). GMR heads as
ESD detectors - a direct assessment of subtle ESD. Electrical
Overstress/Electrostatic Discharge Symposium, 316-319.
Retrieved May 31, 2016, from
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org.libproxy.utem.edu.my/xpls/icp.jsp?arn
umber=5254950.
[6] K. T., N. J., & W. T. (15-11-2012). Wireless ESD Event Locator
Systems in Hard Disk Drive Manufacturing Environments.
Industrial Electronics, IEEE Transactions on, (November),
2013th ser., 5252-5259. doi:10.1109/TIE.2012.2227911.