The fatal spark [electrostatic discharge]

Damage caused by uncontrolled electrostatic discharges (ESDs) to electronic circuits and devices costs the UK electronics industry millions of pounds a year. Good ESD control practices lead directly to improved yields, higher reliability and greater profits. The authors discuss the sources of ESDs and the problems that they can cause, in particular, the latent damage caused by ESD. The authors then discuss the ways in which ESD can be controlled. In particular they discuss the control of humidity, the best types of materials to use for floors and clothes, and the education of the workforce