Fundamentals of Electrostatic Discharge-INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

The international community, led by the European-based International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), also develops and publishes standards. IEC Technical Committee 101 has released a series of documents under the heading IEC 61340. The documents contain general information regarding electrostatics, standard test methods, general practices, and an ESD Control Program Development Standard IEC 61340-5-1 that is technically equivalent to ANSI/ESD S20.20. A Facility Certification Program is also available. Global companies can seek to become certified to both ANSI/ESD S20.20 and IEC 61340-5-1 if they so choose. Japan also has released its proposed version of a national electrostatic Standard, which also shares many aspects of the European and U.S. documents.

ORGANIZATIONAL COOPERATION

Perhaps one of the more intriguing changes in ESD standards has been the organizational cooperation developing between various groups. One cooperative effort was between the ESD Association and the U.S. Department of Defense, which resulted in the ESD Association preparing ANSI/ESD S20.20 as a successor to MIL-STD-1686. A second cooperative effort occurred between the ESD Association and JEDEC, which started with an MOU and resulted in the development of 2 documents: a joint Human Body Model document ANSI/ESDA/JEDEC JS-001 and a joint Charged Device Model document ANSI/ESDA/JEDEC JS-002 have been published.

Internationally, European standards development organizations and the ESD Association have developed working relationships that result in an expanded review of proposed documents, greater input, and closer harmonization of standards that impact the international electronics community.

For users of ESD standards, this increased cooperation will have a significant impact. First, we should see standards that are technically improved due to broader input. Second, we should see fewer conflicts between different standards. Finally, we should see less duplication of effort.