Industry Council White Paper 1: A Case for Lowering Component Level HBM/MM ESD Specifications and Requirements

For more than 20 years, IC component level ESD target levels for both HBM (2 kV) and MM (200 V) have essentially stayed constant, with no focus on data to change these levels. Today's enhanced static control methods required by OEMs do not justify these higher HBM/MM levels as data will show in this document. ESD over-design to these levels in today’s latest silicon technologies is increasingly constraining silicon area as well as performance, and is leading to more frequent delays in the product innovation cycle. Based on improved static control technology, field failure rate, case study and ESD design data, collected from IC suppliers and contract manufacturers, we propose a reduction to more realistic and safe HBM/MM ESD target levels. These new levels (1 kV HBM / 30 V MM) are easily achievable with static control methods mandated by customers and with today’s modern ESD design methods.

Executive Summaries in Chinese