Electromagnetic field generated by transient electrostatic discharges (ESD) from person charged with low electrostatic voltage

Tests were carried out by real charged human body discharging to the ground. The results show that the peak-to-peak electric field radiated in the distance of several centimeters is in the range of 10²-10³ V/m and the magnetic field strength can be in the range of 10-10² A/m in the distance of 10 cm from the discharge. The spectrum of the field is extremely wide. The experiments also show that the amplitude of electric field radiated by ESD when human holding a metal tool discharging to the ground is about many times larger than that of the human finger discharging directly to the ground. Electrostatic discharge is one of the most common harmful electromagnetic sources to the electronic equipment in many environments. Tests also show that the captured waveform may be ringing which is stimulated by the fast rise ESD due to capacitance and inductance including any parasitic LC parameter of the probe and cable.