Ask a Question

What are Electro-static Discharge(ESD) Immunity Tests?

What is Electro-static Discharge(ESD) Immunity Test? What are the equipment required? What is the test procedure?

1 Answer
Can you answer this question?

Editorial Team - EMC Directory

Sep 20, 2022

ESD testing is conducted to check the quality of the operation of an Equipment Under Test (EUT) when subjected to an electrostatic discharge. This testing is used to check the performance of the EUT for personnel static charges as well as indirect charges i.e. static charge from personnel to EUT through some other object in its proximity. Personnel handling the devices carry static charges of some amount which is capable to damage most types of semiconductors. 

Static charges can have a magnitude high enough to fire up sensitive circuits causing to malfunction or even damage to the system. Hence a device with proper ESD shielding is always more reliable for accurate results.

Which EMC Standard is used for ESD Immunity Testing?

The IEC 61000-4-2 is used for ESD Immunity testing. It is an electromagnetic standard that specifies the limits, requirements, and test methods for electrical and electronic equipment subjected to static electricity discharges, from operators directly, and from personnel to adjacent objects. All people carry static electromagnetic discharge that gives rise to transient currents and electromagnetic fields that can interfere with electrical and electronic equipment. Hence, this standard for established to ensure that the equipment will work reliably and efficiently despite the static interferences in their work environment.

The standard has defined four levels of ESD protection, using two different testing methods. The first is the contact discharge and the second is air discharge. The contact discharge involves sending an ESD pulse directly from the ESD test gun that is touching the equipment under test (EUT). Air discharge is used for cases where contact discharge testing is not possible. In the air discharge test, the ESD test gun is brought close to the EUT until a discharge occurs.

Contact DischargeAir Discharge
LevelTest Voltage (kV)Level
Test Voltage (kV)
1212
2424
3636
48415

What Equipment is used for the ESD Immunity Testing?

The following is the equipment required for ESD Immunity Testing:

  • EUT
  • ESD Gun
  • Ground Reference Plane (GRP)

What is the Test Method used for ESD Immunity Testing?

An ESD gun is used to conduct air discharges and contact discharges. Each test voltage is applied to the EUT with a minimum interval of one second between every two consecutive test discharges. At least 10 discharges should be applied for each polarity. For each test point, each test discharge should be started from the lowest test voltage (±2 kV) and increased to the maximum test discharge. All four sides of the EUT must be tested.  The EUT is to run on the normal mode with its loads to check for degradation in the functioning during the testing. 

Click here to view the ESD Testing Labs.




Technical Articles

../ 39 [{"category":"Questions","label":"what is cispr 16?","url":"../community/what-is-cispr-16","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is fcc part 15?","url":"../community/what-is-fcc-part-15","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-6-4?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-6-4","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is fcc part 18?","url":"../community/what-is-fcc-part-18","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-4-3?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-4-3","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-4-8?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-4-8","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-4-4?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-4-4","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-4-6?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-4-6","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is cispr 32?","url":"../community/what-is-cispr-32","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-4-11?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-4-11","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-4-2?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-4-2","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-4-5?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-4-5","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is radiated emissions testing?","url":"../community/what-is-radiated-emission-testing","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-3-3?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-3-3","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is conducted emissions testing?","url":"../community/what-is-conducted-emissions-testing","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is radiated immunity testing?","url":"../community/what-is-radiated-immunity-testing","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is cispr 22?","url":"../community/what-is-cispr-22","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is voltage drop testing?","url":"../community/what-is-voltage-drop-testing","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what are electro-static discharge(esd) immunity tests?","url":"../community/what-is-esd-testing","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is magnetic field testing?","url":"../community/what-is-magnetic-field-testing","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is open area test site (oats)?","url":"../community/what-is-open-area-test-site-oats","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is harmonic and flicker testing?","url":"../community/what-is-harmonic-and-flicker-testing","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-4-9?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-4-9","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is the difference between emc and emi?","url":"../community/what-is-the-difference-between-emc-and-emi","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is emc testing? why is it important?","url":"../community/what-is-emc-testing-why-is-it-important","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"emc testing for household appliances","url":"../community/what-is-emc-testing-for-household-appliances","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is surge immunity testing?","url":"../community/what-is-surge-immunity-testing","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is eft immunity testing?","url":"../community/what-is-eft-immunity-testing","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-3-2?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-3-2","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is cispr 12?","url":"../community/what-is-cispr-12_12","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is cispr 25?","url":"../community/what-is-cispr-25_13","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is cispr 35?","url":"../community/what-is-cispr-35_14","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what are emc emissions tests?","url":"../community/what-is-emc-emissions-tests","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is emc pre-compliance testing?","url":"../community/what-is-emc-pre-compliance-testing","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is immunity testing for emc?","url":"../community/what-is-immunity-testing-for-emc","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is cispr 31?","url":"../community/what-is-cispr-31","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"emc testing for a medical device","url":"../community/what-is-emc-testing-for-a-medical-device","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what are helmholtz coils?","url":"../community/what-are-helmholtz-coils","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"emc testing for automotive","url":"../community/what-is-emc-testing-for-automotive","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is conductive coupling?","url":"../community/what-is-conductive-coupling","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is inductive coupling?","url":"../community/what-is-inductive-coupling","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is a tem cell?","url":"../community/what-is-a-tem-cell","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"emc testing for printed circuit boards (pcbs)","url":"../community/what-is-emc-testing-for-pcb-what-are-the-design-consideration","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"emc testing for iot/wireless devices","url":"../community/what-is-emc-testing-for-iot-wireless-devices","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is an emc test site?","url":"../community/what-is-an-emc-test-site","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"iso 11452: emc testing standards for automotive components","url":"../community/what-is-iso-11452","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is crosstalk?","url":"../community/what-is-crosstalk","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is near-field shielding?","url":"../community/what-is-near-field-shielding","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is far-field shielding?","url":"../community/what-is-far-field-shielding","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is cispr 11?","url":"../community/what-is-cispr-11","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-6-2?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-6-2","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-6-3?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-6-3","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is pulse width modulation (pwm)?","url":"../community/what-is-pulse-width-modulation-pwm","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what are common mode chokes?","url":"../community/what-are-common-mode-chokes","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iso/iec 17025?","url":"../community/what-is-iso-17025","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is esd?","url":"../community/what-is-esd","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is mil-std-461?","url":"../community/what-is-mil-std-461","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is rtca do-160?","url":"../community/what-is-rtca-do-160","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is def-stan 59-411?","url":"../community/what-is-def-stan-59-411","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iso 14302?","url":"../community/what-is-iso-14302","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"fast measurements with real-time spectrum analyzers for emc testing","url":"../community/fast-measurements-with-real-time-spectrum-analyzers-for-emc-testing","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what are semi-anechoic chambers?","url":"../community/what-are-semi-anechoic-chambers","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is electromagnetic interference (emi)?","url":"../community/what-is-electromagnetic-interference-emi","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is radio frequency interference (rfi)?","url":"../community/what-is-radio-frequency-interference-rfi","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61967-4?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61967-4","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61967-5?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61967-5","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what are the emc testing standards specification for integrated circuits?","url":"../community/what-are-the-standardized-emc-test-methods-standards-published-by-iec-for-integrated-circuits-ics","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-6-1?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-6-1","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-6-2?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-6-2_102","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-4-39?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-4-39","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is characteristic impedance?","url":"../community/what-is-characteristic-impedance","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is common-mode noise?","url":"../community/what-is-common-mode-noise","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is a ferrite clamp?","url":"../community/what-is-the-ferrite-clamp","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is conducted immunity testing?","url":"../community/what-is-conducted-immunity-testing","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61967-1?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61967-1","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61967-2?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61967-2","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what are the differences between anechoic and semi-anechoic chambers?","url":"../community/what-are-the-differences-between-anechoic-and-semi-anechoic-chambers","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what are anechoic chambers?","url":"../community/what-are-anechoic-chambers","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is mil-std-1275?","url":"../community/what-is-mil-std-1275","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 60601-1-2?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-60601-1-2","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is ansi c63.10?","url":"../community/what-is-ansi-c63-10","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is ansi c63.4?","url":"../community/what-is-ansi-c63-4","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is an emi filter?","url":"../community/what-is-an-emi-filter","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is an electromagnetic reverberation chamber?","url":"../community/what-is-an-electromagnetic-reverberation-chamber","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what are coupling decoupling networks in emc?","url":"../community/what-are-coupling-decoupling-networks-in-emc","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is cispr 14?","url":"../community/what-is-cispr-14","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is cipsr 36?","url":"../community/what-is-cipsr-36","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"shielding and grounding techniques for reducing emi and ems","url":"../community/what-are-the-shielding-and-grounding-techniques-for-reducing-emi-and-ems","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is cispr 17?","url":"../community/what-is-cispr-17","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is cipsr 15?","url":"../community/what-is-cipsr-15","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-6-8?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-6-8","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-6-4?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-6-4_57","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61000-6-3?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61000-6-3_58","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is conducted susceptibility?","url":"../community/what-is-conducted-susceptibility","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is cispr 18?","url":"../community/what-is-cispr-18","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is power line transient?","url":"../community/what-is-a-power-line-transient","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what are emc antennas?","url":"../community/what-are-emc-antennas","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61967-3?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61967-3","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61967-6?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61967-6","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is iec 61967-8?","url":"../community/what-is-iec-61967-8","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is the directive 2014/30/eu?","url":"../community/what-is-the-directive-2014-30-eu","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is ieee/ansi c63.15?","url":"../community/what-is-ieee-ansi-c63-15","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is propagation constant?","url":"../community/what-is-propagation-constant","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is a transmission line? balanced vs unbalanced transmission lines?","url":"../community/what-is-a-transmission-line-balanced-vs-unbalanced-transmission-lines","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is ieee c95.3?","url":"../community/what-is-ieee-c95-3","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is fcc mp-5-1986?","url":"../community/what-is-fcc-mp-5-1986","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is ieee/ansi c63.17?","url":"../community/what-is-ieee-ansi-c63-17","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is radiated emission?","url":"../community/what-is-radiated-emission","type":null},{"category":"Questions","label":"what is electromagnetic pulse (emp)?","url":"../community/what-is-electromagnetic-pulse-emp","type":null},{"category":"Topics","label":"cispr standards","url":"~/community/filter?topic=;CISPR Standards;","type":null},{"category":"Topics","label":"conducted immunity","url":"~/community/filter?topic=;Conducted Immunity;","type":null},{"category":"Topics","label":"emission testing","url":"~/community/filter?topic=;Emission Testing;","type":null},{"category":"Topics","label":"iec standards","url":"~/community/filter?topic=;IEC Standards;","type":null},{"category":"Topics","label":"immunity testing","url":"~/community/filter?topic=;Immunity Testing;","type":null},{"category":"Topics","label":"medical","url":"~/community/filter?topic=;Medical;","type":null},{"category":"Topics","label":"military","url":"~/community/filter?topic=;Military;","type":null},{"category":"Topics","label":"radiated immunity","url":"~/community/filter?topic=;Radiated Immunity;","type":null}] community community question-details content_more