An electrostatic-sensitive device (often abbreviated ESD) is any component (primarily electrical) which can be damaged by common static charges which build up on people, tools, and other non-conductors or semiconductor

Semiconductor

A semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity due to electron flow intermediate in magnitude between that of a conductor and an insulator. This means a conductivity roughly in the range of 103 to 10−8 siemens per centimeter...

s. ESD commonly also stands for electrostatic discharge.

As electronic parts like computer central processing units (CPUs) become packed more and more densely with transistor

Transistor

A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power. It is composed of a semiconductor material with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's terminals changes the current...

s the transistors shrink and become more and more vulnerable to ESD.

Common electrostatic-sensitive devices include:

• MOSFET
  MOSFET
  The metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor is a transistor used for amplifying or switching electronic signals. The basic principle of this kind of transistor was first patented by Julius Edgar Lilienfeld in 1925...
  
   transistors, used to make integrated circuit
  Integrated circuit
  An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
  
  s (ICs)
• CMOS
  CMOS
  Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor is a technology for constructing integrated circuits. CMOS technology is used in microprocessors, microcontrollers, static RAM, and other digital logic circuits...
  
   ICs (chips), integrated circuits built with MOSFETs. Examples are computer CPUs, graphics ICs.
• Computer cards
• TTL chips
• Laser diode
  Laser diode
  The laser diode is a laser where the active medium is a semiconductor similar to that found in a light-emitting diode. The most common type of laser diode is formed from a p-n junction and powered by injected electric current...
  
  s
• Blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
  Light-emitting diode
  A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...
  
  
• High precision resistor
  Resistor
  A linear resistor is a linear, passive two-terminal electrical component that implements electrical resistance as a circuit element.The current through a resistor is in direct proportion to the voltage across the resistor's terminals. Thus, the ratio of the voltage applied across a resistor's...
  
  s

ESD-safe working

Often an ESD-safe foam or ESD-safe bag

Antistatic bag

An antistatic bag is a bag used for shipping components, which are prone to damage caused by electrostatic discharge.These bags are usually plastic and have a distinctive color . The polyethylene variant may also take the form of foam or bubble wrap, either as sheets or bags...

 are required for transporting such components. When working with them, a technician will often use a grounding mat or other grounding tool

Antistatic device

An antistatic device is any item which has the effect of reducing static electricity charges on a person's body or equipment, either to prevent fires and explosions when working with flammable liquids and gases, or to prevent damage to static-sensitive objects such as electronic components or devices...

 to keep from damaging the equipment. A technician may also wear antistatic garments

Antistatic garments

Anti-static garments or anti-static clothing is required to prevent damage to electrical components or to prevent fires and explosions when working with flammable liquids and gases.- Electrostatic sensitive device :...

 or an antistatic wrist strap

Antistatic wrist strap

An antistatic wrist strap, ESD wrist strap, or ground bracelet is an antistatic device used to safely ground a person working on very sensitive electronic equipment, to prevent the buildup of static electricity on their body, which can result in electrostatic discharge...

There are several kinds of ESD protective materials:

• Conductive: Materials with a resistance of between 1kΩ and 1MΩ
• Dissipative: Materials with a resistance of between 1MΩ and 1TΩ
• Shielding
  Electromagnetic shielding
  Electromagnetic shielding is the process of reducing the electromagnetic field in a space by blocking the field with barriers made of conductive and/or magnetic materials. Shielding is typically applied to enclosures to isolate electrical devices from the 'outside world' and to cables to isolate...
  
  : Materials that attenuate current and electrical fields
• Low-charging or Anti-static: Materials that limit the buildup of charge by prevention of triboelectric effects through physical separation or by selecting materials that do not build up charge easily.

See also

• Antistatic device
  Antistatic device
  An antistatic device is any item which has the effect of reducing static electricity charges on a person's body or equipment, either to prevent fires and explosions when working with flammable liquids and gases, or to prevent damage to static-sensitive objects such as electronic components or devices...
  
  
  • Antistatic bag
    Antistatic bag
    An antistatic bag is a bag used for shipping components, which are prone to damage caused by electrostatic discharge.These bags are usually plastic and have a distinctive color . The polyethylene variant may also take the form of foam or bubble wrap, either as sheets or bags...
    
    
  • Antistatic garments
    Antistatic garments
    Anti-static garments or anti-static clothing is required to prevent damage to electrical components or to prevent fires and explosions when working with flammable liquids and gases.- Electrostatic sensitive device :...
    
    
  • Antistatic agent
    Antistatic agent
    An antistatic agent is a compound used for treatment of materials or their surfaces in order to reduce or eliminate buildup of static electricity generally caused by the triboelectric effect. Its role is to make the surface or the material itself slightly conductive, either by being conductive...
    
    
  • Antistatic mat
    Antistatic mat
    An antistatic floor mat or ground mat is one of a number of antistatic devices designed to help eliminate static electricity. It does this by having a conductive material embedded within the mat that collects the static. The mat would need to be grounded . This is usually accomplished by plugging...
    
    
  • Antistatic wrist strap
    Antistatic wrist strap
    An antistatic wrist strap, ESD wrist strap, or ground bracelet is an antistatic device used to safely ground a person working on very sensitive electronic equipment, to prevent the buildup of static electricity on their body, which can result in electrostatic discharge...
    
    

External links

• ESD Association
• ESD advice from Intel
• ESD advice from PC World
  PC World (magazine)
  PC World is a global computer magazine published monthly by IDG. It offers advice on various aspects of PCs and related items, the Internet, and other personal-technology products and services...
  
  
• ESD Journal's ESD Control Standards
• ESD suppression guide for common electronic applications
• ESD protection application note
• ESD Symbols