Circuit models of ESD waveforms

The synthesis of RLC networks whose impulse responses replicate measured electrostatic discharge (ESD) waveforms is attempted. This can be considered to be the first step in the design of ESD simulators which can generate waveforms discharged from various discharging objects and occurring under different test conditions. First, the identified system function of the discrete system is transformed into an equivalent continuous system function by using an inverse bilinear transformation. The latter is then synthesized using RLC circuit models and circuit synthesis techniques. After being simulated using SPICE, refined and with their order minimized, the circuits corresponding to selected ESD pulses are implemented and tested. This procedure thus permits the implementation of ESD simulators which can generate a wide range of discharge waveforms and be able to reproduce standard waveforms which could be measured under different testing procedures.<>