Technical Paper
Improving the ESD Performance and Its Effects in CMOS - SOI/BULK Technologies and Automotive Electronic Components
2014-09-30
2014-36-0304
The reliability of the microelectronic devices and circuits is a major factor that determines both their manufacturability and application lifetime. One of the most pervasive problems on the integrated circuit (IC) industry is the electrostatic discharging (ESD) failure. ESD damage has become more prevalent in newer technologies due to the higher susceptibility of smaller circuit components. In addition, the changes on the IC technology have also changed the ESD protection techniques, requiring a continuous improvements and studies. ESD causes about 40 % of IC failures and represents, annually, a loss of billions of dollars due to repair, rework, shipping, labor and overhead costs associated with the damage, which highlights the importance of fundamental understanding of ESD aspects and design of efficient ESD protection.