Characteristic measurement of spark transients due to finger touch

To understand a mechanism of spark transients, using a 12-GHz digital oscilloscope, we measured discharge currents due to a finger touch through a hand-held metal bar or a fingertip with an aluminum foil attachment from a charged human body with a charge voltage of 600 V. As a result, we found that the hand-held metal bar and aluminum foil attachment produce a one-shot discharge current with steeply rising time shorter than a 100 ps, while the fingertip without any aluminum foil attachments produces multiple-shot discharge currents with gently rising time larger than a 100 ps and significantly low amplitudes.