ESD GROUNDING SET-UP FOR GROUND NOISE AND LEAKAGE

CURRENT PROTECTION
Ray Nicanor M. Tag-at
Roger Galinggana, Jr.
Lloyd Henry I. Li
Quality Systems QA
Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Philippines Corp.
SEPZ, Laguna Technopark, Bi an, Laguna, Philippines
raynicanor.tag-at@hitachigst.com;
roger.galinggana@hitachigst.com;
lloydhenry.li@hitachigst.com

ABSTRACT controls are at its ultimate, thus, proper grounding set-up

Grounding is the basic countermeasure in controlling ESD.
However, ESD-related defects still exist. This is so because
there are some phenomena on the ground, for instance
ground noise and leakage current from equipment, which can
discharge to the product via the grounded tools or jigs. These
phenomena cannot be detected using ordinary measuring
equipment, like a multimeter, but rather by using advanced
method and equipment such as fast digital oscilloscope and
high frequency current probes.
These currents can cause degradation of ESD sensitive
devices, or worst, damage the product. The most basic
solution for this is to separate the groundings used for ESD
control (for jigs/fixtures) from the groundings used for
AC/equipment. The drawback of this solution is that in a
manufacturing line, it is almost impossible that the separated
ESD and AC/equipment ground will not interconnect with
each other.
should be well and deeply considered.
1.1 Ground Noise and Leakage Current Propagation
Electrical noise (e.g. leakage current, ground noise, etc.) is
inherent to most electrical and electronic equipment. Noise
filters are readily available, however, most of it are only used
to suppress the noise from the input source but not the noise
that is being generated by the electrical or electronic
equipment. This is why equipment grounding is necessary
and being used to provide protection to the equipment as well
as to the person using it. However, noise can still propagate
to the ground lines. Since the tools/jigs are connected on the
common ground point (manifold) as of the equipment,
sometimes the noise (in a form of current) that flows from
the equipment will pass through the jigs. In turn, the
tools/jigs will contact the product and ESD occurs. This
phenomenon causes damage to ESD sensitive parts.

In this study, the countermeasure derived was to separate the

ground point terminal (not the entire grounding system) of
the electrical tools/equipment from the ESD ground of
jigs/fixtures. Then, a fixed resistor is connected in series to
the grounding of the jigs/fixtures. In addition, if a process
has electrical tools/equipment that has direct contact to ESD
sensitive devices, a soft grounding technique countermeasure
can be applied. The concepts of Soft Grounding Technique
are: 1) isolate any other ground connection (aside from the
ground wire) of the tool/equipment; 2) apply a fixed resistor
in series to the only ground wire of the tool/equipment; 3)
use a static dissipative material as part of the grounding of
the product and the jigs/fixtures. These countermeasures can
easily be applied in almost any work area conditions, though
slight modifications need to be done.
Figure 1. Ground Noise and Leakage Current Propagation
1.0 INTRODUCTION on Common Point Ground

Common point grounding is one of the grounding controls.

To be able to have a good grounding for ESD preventions,
groundable tools/fixtures, as well as equipment, need to be in
one common ground point.
In an industry, such as Head and Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
manufacturing, ESD attacks are at its strongest and ESD
Also, if the process has electrical equipment or tools, with
motor) and has direct contact to the product, the leakage
current from those electronic equipment and or tools can
propagate directly to the ESD sensitive product, causing a
direct machine model ESD event.

1
The leakage current from electrical tools/equipment can:
1. Propagate to the ground causing ground noise if
the tool/equipment is connected to ground.
2. Be induced into ESD sensitive products if the
tool/equipment has direct contact to it, causing
ESD failures.
Figure 2. Sample Leakage Current Propagation of an Automatic
Torque Driver (ATD) in a Printed Circuit Board Assy (PCBA)
Attachment Process in an HDD Assembly Line
1.2 Method of Detection
Using a high frequency current probe (CT-6) and
oscilloscope, the ground noise and the leakage current were
detected, as shown in Figure 3. The measuring points are:
a) Main ground connection as the path of the ground
noise to the manifold.
b) Ground connection of jigs/equipment and the
manifold path of leakage current from equipment
to the manifold.
Figure 3. Set-up for Ground Noise and Leakage Current
Detection of the grounding for the jigs/tools/fixtures using
a Digital Oscilloscope and Current Probe.
Leakgae
Leakage Current
Current Detection
Detection
Ground Noise Detection
2 Ground Wire.
c) At the tip of the Automatic Torque Driver (ATD) to
the HDD, see Figure 4.
Automatic Torque Drivers (ATD) used in Lines
continuously generates leakage current due to the
back electromotive forces (EMF) of its motor. Once
the tip of the ATD contacts the HDD and starts to
operate, the leakage will flow into the HDD.
Figure 4. Set-up for Leakage Current Detection of the
ATD using Digital Oscilloscope and Current Probe.
1.3 Concept of the Countermeasure
The first countermeasure applied was to use noise filters.
However, the result was not good and ground noise still
exists. Then an idea came up, that in order to reduce the
current flowing, a resistor can be used and to be connected in
series to the source of the current instead of noise filters. The
result is good; the ground noise was reduced or eliminated.
The basic concept then to suppress the ground noise and
leakage current is to isolate the source or the path of the said
currents. The isolation could be the use of static dissipative,
which has high resistance, or use of a fixed resistor, or
combination of both.
A single ground wire, when connected to a fixture then to the
ground, established a closed loop system. In Figure 5, at
closed loop, the single ground wire has self-inductance1.
High frequency AC ground noise current can only be
suppressed at high impedance. In low frequency ground
noise current, resistance is enough to suppress it. In a single
wire however, impedance Z (at AC signal) can be treated
almost the same with resistance R (at DC signal).
R L
XL = 2fL Z = R + jXL
Figure 5. Resistance and Self-inductance of a Single
 Sample computation below shows the relationship of 2.2 Procedure
resistance and impedance with respect the frequency of the
input signal in a single wire. The value of the resistor should satisfy the following
at 900Hz, R = 2 , L = 10nH: at 3.5 MHz, R = 2 , L = 10nH:
conditions:
Z = 2 + j(2 x 900 x 10e-9) Z = 2 + j(2 x 3.5e6 x 10e-9) 1. The value of the resistor should be enough to
Z = 2 + j0.565e-6 Z = 2 + j0.188 suppress the ground noise.
[Z] = 2 [Z] = 2.009 2. The value of the resistor should be enough to
at 900Hz, R = 120K , L = 10nH: at 3.5 MHz, R = 120K , L = 10nH: dissipate charges (faster decay time) to the ground
Z = 120e3 + j(2 x 900 x 10e-9) Z = 120e3 + j(2 x 3.5e6 x 10e-9) that may be present in the tools/jigs connected to
Z = 120e3 + j0.565e-6 Z = 120e3 + j0.188 it.
[Z] 120K [Z] 120K
The dilemma of this is that the higher the value of the
Z R (regardless of the frequency of the input signal) resistor, the better it is to suppress the ground noise, but it
cannot dissipate static charges thus enhancing charge build-
Using PSPICE Software Transient Analysis, the behavior of up in the jigs/tolls/fixtures. Therefore, the optimum value of
the impedance and resistance, shown in Figure 6, can be seen the resistance should be carefully selected to satisfy the
by varying the input frequency and the value of the above conditions.
resistance.

Figure 6. PSPICE Simulated Circuit. 2.1.1 Evaluation of the Value of Resistor

R L

2.1.1.1 Suppressing the ground noise/leakage current

10nH
Vin
GND Noise
Source 20mV This test was done to determine the value of the resistance
that could suppress the ground noise from the ground line as
well as the leakage current from the equipment ground. The
ground terminal (manifold) of the equipment was separated
from the manifold of the jigs/tools/fixtures. At Test point 1
in Figure 7, a resistor of certain value was inserted in series
PSPICE Simulation Results between the manifold of the jigs/tools/fixtures/ and the main
ground source. A current probe was then inserted in the
ground wire to capture the current passing through it.

f = 900 Hz R = 2
f = 3.5 MHz R = 2
Peak Current = 10 mA Peak Current = 10 mA

f = 900 Hz R = 120K
f = 3.5 MHz R = 120K
Peak Current = 160 nA Peak Current = 160 nA Figure 7. Set-up for Testing the Resistors in Suppressing
Ground Noise and Leakage Current
Thus, regardless of the frequency, a fixed resistor can
suppress the magnitude of the ground noise. Results below, in Figure 8, show that the higher the value of
the resistance (at 120 K), the ground noise can be
suppressed.
2.0 EXPERIMENTATION Manifold Without Resistor Resistor
Manifold With 120 K

2.1 Materials

The materials used in this experiment are terminal blocks,

resistors, ground wires, and ground source. The equipment Ground
used are digital oscilloscope, current probes, charge plate noise was
eliminated
monitor, and nanocoulomb meter. PSPICE software is also
being used to simulate the electronic circuits. Peak current: 17.4 mA Peak current: 0.0 mA
Frequency: 1.282 MHz Frequency: ---

3 Figure 8. Ground noise data detected in the ground line.

 2.1.1.2 Charge Dissipation Set-up in Figure 11 shows the CPM that was charged to
1000V and the stop voltage was set to 0V. The plate was
These tests were done to check if the value of the resistor is then discharged by a wire without resistor and is connected to
enough to dissipate charge in the jigs/tools/fixtures ones it is the ground. The decay time was recorded and this served as
being connected in series to the ground wire. reference. The procedure was repeated using several values
of resistors connected in series to the ground wire. Results in
a.) Point Charge Measurement Figure 12 shows that using a 120K resistor can still
dissipate charges as fast as a pure ground wire.
Point charge measurement was done to further verify if there Ground Wire (without resistor) resistor)
Ground Wire (with 120 K
is any charge build-up in case the process has tribocharging Decay time is
the same with
in its jigs/tools/fixtures. In Figure 9, a metal plate was the ground

connected to the ground with a resistor. A metal block was wire without
resistor.

then rubbed against the metal plate. Using a nanocoulomb

meter, that charge on the metal block was measured.

Decay Time: 0.0 sec (1000 V to 0V) Decay Time: 0.0 sec (1000 V to 0V)

Figure 12. Decay Time of the Ground Wire with and Without
Resistor.

c.) PSPICE Software Simulation of Static Decay

Test

The static decay test above using CPM was simulated in

PSPICE software to capture the decay time in microseconds.
Different values of resistor were tried and Transient Analysis
was performed.

Figure 9. Set-up for Point Charge Measurement Figure 13. PSPICE Simulated Circuit of Static Decay Test.

Result shows that charge accumulation and build-up in the

metal block with 120 K resistor are less (almost negligible)
as compared to higher values of resistor or no ground at all.
Figure 10. Point Charge Accumulation on Metal Block
0.8
0.7
0.6 Charge build -up of a
conductor with 120
0.5
Charge (nC)

K resistor in series
0.4 to the ground is
0.3 negligible.
0.2
0.1
0 Figure 14. Result of the PSPICE Simulated Circuit for Static
Decay Test.
1M

10M

70M
1K

10 K

50 K

80 K

120 K

Ground
Wire (No
Resistor)
Ground

No

Resistor Value (ohms)

b.) Static Decay Test Using Charge Plate Monitor

(CPM) 120 K resistor

PSPICE simulation result, in Figure 14, shows that 120K

resistance value still can dissipate static charges at a faster
time (approx. 12 microseconds). Higher value of resistance
has slower decay time and may pose charge build-up in the
jigs/tools/fixtures.
Figure 11. Set-up for Static Decay Test using CPM
4
 3.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 3.1.2 Ground Isolation with In-series 120 K Resistor

Results of the several experiments performed for the value of Separate the ground manifold of all power-consuming
the resistor, in Figure 15, show that 120K is the optimum equipment and ground manifold of the jigs. Use 120 K fix
value that can suppress the ground noise/leakage current and resistor in series between the manifold of the jigs and the
enough to dissipate static charges thus inhibiting charge main ground source. Refer to Figure 17.
build-up in jigs/tools/fixtures.
Figure 17. Set-up Ground Isolation with In-series 120 K
20 0.4
Resistor Countermeasure
18
0.35
16
0.3
Average Noise Level (mA)

Average Decay Time (sec)

14
0.25
12
120 K
is the
10 Optimum 0.2

8 Value.
0.15
6
0.1
4
0.05
2

0 0
w ithout27 1K 10K 50K 80K 120K 1M 10M 70M
resistor
Resistor Value (ohms)

Figure 15. Results of the Evaluation for the Values of the Resistor
To Be Used to Suppress the Ground Noise and Leakage Current.
Figure 18. Leakage Current on the Jigs/Tools/Fixtures was
3.1 Application of the Countermeasure Reduced.
Ground noise of the Manifold Ground Noise/Leakage Current
3.1.1 In-series 120 K resistor Countermeasure of the Jig

As shown in Figure 16, a 120 K fix resistor is used in series

between the manifold and the main ground source.

Figure 15. Set-up for the In-series 120 K resistor

Countermeasure

Peak Current: 0 mA Peak Current: 0.9 mA

Frequency: --- Frequency: 2.94
MHz
Figure 18 show that jig/tool/fixture are protected from the
ground noise and leakage current, thus potential (charge) for
ESD occurrence from the jigs to the ESD sensitive parts was
reduced or eliminated.

3.1.3 Soft Grounding Technique

Figure 16. Leakage Current Still Detected in Jigs/Tools/Fixtures
Ground noise of the Manifold
Electrical tools, such as the Automatic Torque Drivers
(ATD) used mostly in HDD Assembly Lines, continuously
Leakage Current of the Jig
generates leakage current due to the back electromotive force
(EMF) of its motor. Once the tip of the ATD contacts the
HDD and starts to operate, the leakage will flow into the
HDD.

Soft Grounding Technique was then applied. The concept

Peak Current: 0 mA
Frequency: ---
Figure 16 shows that this countermeasure need to be
enhanced in terms of eliminating leakage current from the
equipment to the jigs. Thus, the leakage current from the
equipment ground flows to the jigs, the jigs can be charge
and when the product comes in contact with it, ESD will
occur.
were:
Peak Current: 19.1 mA 1. Isolate any other connection to the ground of
Frequency: 6.283 MHz the electrical tools/equipment (in this case, the
arm of the ATD).
2. Apply 120 K-ohm in-series resistor to the only
ground connection of the electrical tools /
equipment.
3. Use a static dissipative material as part of the
grounding of jigs / fixtures or of the product.

5
Refer to Figure 19 for the sample set-up of the Soft 4.0 CONCLUSION
Grounding Technique.
The result of the study shows that:
Figure 19. Sample Set-up for Soft Grounding Technique
for ATD used in a Conveyor Line. 1. The conventional hard / direct grounding is not all the
time applicable in some conditions.
2. High level of ESD detection equipment and
methodology is necessary to capture phenomenon such
as electrical noise since this cannot be detected using
conventional equipment.
3. In setting-up groundings, one must consider several
conditions in the work area such as the presence of
ground noise or the presence of electrical
tools/equipment in the process that generate leakage
current and has direct contact to the product.

5.0 RECOMMEDATION

Since theres a need to consider the conditions in the work

Figure 20. Effect of the soft grounding countermeasure. It
is shown here that leakage current was reduced.
Before Countermeasure
Peak Current: 19.1 mA
Frequency: 6.283 MHz
area in setting-up the groundings, Table 1 shows the different
concept of grounding set-up.
Table 1. Concept of Grounding Set-up
New Concept of Grounding set-up
After Countermeasure
Process Has ground noise
No ground noise Has ground noise and electrical
Set-up / but NO electrical
and leakage current equipment / tools)
Condition equipment / tools)
1. Connect the jigs / 1. Isolate ground
1. Isolate ground of
fixture directly to manifolds for jigs and
equipment or tools.
ground. equipment.
2. Apply 120k resistor Apply Soft 2. Apply 120k resistor in
Grounding
--- in series with the jigs Grounding series with the equipment
Peak Current: 4.7 mA Set-up
grounding Technique grounding
Frequency: 2.415 MHz
3. Use static dissipative
--- --- material for jig's or
product's grounding.

3.2 Results of the Grounding Countermeasures in Reducing

ESD-related Failure Rate.
6.0 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
By implementing the Ground Isolation with In-series 120 K
resistor and the Soft Grounding Technique, the ESD-related We thank Dr. Al Wallash and Mr. Tim Hughbanks of Hitachi
failure rate was significantly reduced. Refer to Figure 21. GST San Jose for introducing to us PSPICE simulation and
concept about ground resistors, respectively. To Mr. Hiroshi
HDA ESD Failure Rate Amada of Hitachi GST Odawara, Mr. Hiroaki Uchiyama,
Application of the and Mr. Katsushi Yamaguchi of Hitachi GST Fujisawa for
Countermeasure
the support of this study.
Failure Rate

WK37 WK38 WK39 WK40 WK41 WK42 WK43 Nov Dec ... March
2005 2006

- ESD Failure Rate

(Excerpt from HDD Test Process Failure Rate Report)
Figure 21. ESD failure rate was significantly reduced
by 50% upon the implementation of the
countermeasure.

6
 7.0 REFERENCES

1. T. P. Van Doren, Experimental Demonstration on EMC

Principles, 2004, p 8.

8.0 ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Ray Nicanor M. Tag-at has a degree in

Electrical Engineering at Silliman University.
He is currently working in Hitachi GST Phil.
Corp. as an ESD Engineer and leads a team
of ESD Engineers from Manufacturing and
Support Groups. He also leads the Statistical
Quality Council, which is a task team composed of Engineers
from Manufacturing and QA Departments that spearheads
the use and implementation of statistical techniques.

Roger F. Galinggana, Jr. has a degree in

Electronics and Communications Engineering
at University of the East. He is currently
working in Hitachi GST Phil. Corp. as a
Manager in Quality Systems QA and Site
Coordinator for World Wide Hitachi GST
ESD Committee. As a Quality Systems Manager, he also
handles other company-wide common engineering functions
such as Contamination Control, ISO Quality Management
System, Quality Information System, Equipment Calibration,
and Statistical Techniques.

Lloyd Henry I. Li has a degree in Electronics

and Communications Engineering at Mapua
Institute of Technology. He is currently
working in Hitachi GST Phil. Corp. as an ESD
Engineer. He is currently involved in ESD
audits/investigations, material evaluations, and
studies related to ESD prevention/control programs of the
company.