DOCUMENTTYPE 1 (4)

ESD Protection, Exam

Please answer to the following multiple-choice questions.

Terminology

Mark the correct statements with V and incorrect statements with X

EPA stands for electrostatic protected area.

APE stands for automated process equipment.
ESD stands for electrostatic dissipative.
ESD means anything which is related to the electrostatics.
ESDS means robust product.
ESD stands for electrostatic discharge.

Theory

Mark the correct statements with V and incorrect statements with X

Resistance is Ampere Volts [AV].

Power means current in a certain period.
Voltage is calculated as a current per resistance.
Energy means power consumption in a certain period.
Electrostatic measurements can be done with a slow response.
Decay time of electrostatic charge depends on capacitance and resistance.

Measuring methods

Join the lines correctly. Chose the correct method for the certain instrument
(Chose the best choice and only one line between the sentences)

Electrostatic voltage sensor Resistance to ground measurements

Oscilloscope Electromagnetic interference
Nanocoulomb meter ESD and EMI measurements
ESD tester Measurements of ampere seconds [As]
EMI locator Measurements of dielectric objects
Insulation multimeter Potential measurements from conductive objects
Electrostatic field meter CDM, HBM and TLP testing

Measurement techniques

Mark the correct statements with V and incorrect statements with X

Fast response of the instrument is required for ESD measurements.

Last digits shall not be recorded for reports if they are insignificant.
Over scale indication of the meter means that an instrument or a test method is not correct.
EMI locator detects electrostatic pulses only, other interferences are filtered automatically.
Insulation multimeter is suitable especially for low resistances.
High resistance is measured with a high current.
It is recommended to measure surface Resistivity from conductive objects with a ring electrode.
Point to point measurement is accurate especially when resistance is more than 10 G ohm.
High resistances should be measured with low voltages.
 DOCUMENTTYPE 2 (4)

ESD Protection, Exam

Measurement practices

Circle the best choice

From the production line it is important to measure

a) resistances to ground at first.
b) charges at first, then resistances and potentials
c) electrostatic fields and potentials, then charges.
d) surface resistivities.

Resistance to ground shall be started by

a) cleaning the surface of the target.
b) cleaning a ground electrode.
c) cleaning both, the surface and electrode.
d) placing dirty electrode on the target.

If the reading of resistance meter is scrolling, then

a) ensure if the loading effect a root cause if not then wait for 15 seconds and record the reading,
b) record the reading immediately.
c) it is better to leave it and go forward to next measurements.
d) faster is better.

If the reading of nanocoulomb meter is scrolling about half nanocoulomb/second, then

a) wait for 15 seconds and record the reading.
b) Record the reading as soon as possible.
c) Remove ground connector and make a floating measurement.
d) just leave it. This is indication that measurement circuit is unstable.

Practical situations

Plastic jig is on a table in EPA and relative humidity is 50%. Weight probe is placed on the jig and meter
is used to measure Resistance-To-Ground (EPA ground is used as a ground reference). Meter informs
that resistance to ground is over 20G Ohm (max reading) when 100V measurement voltage is used.
What is the next action?
a) Use 10V measurement voltage instead of 100V to measure the Resistance-To-Ground value.
b) Use 500V measurement voltage instead of 100V to measure the Resistance-To-Ground value.
c) Change the weight probe to NOKIA Belt Probe and repeat the Resistance-To-Ground measurement.
d) Use two NOKIA Belt Probes to measure Surface Resistance of the jig (point to point measurement)
with 100V.
e) None of the previous options is correct.

Hand held Monroe Charge meter is grounded to electrical PE ground with a wire and an oscilloscope
probe is connected to the meter input plug. PWB is in a plastic cover (electrically isolated) and charge of
the PWB is measured by touching constantly PWB ground layer with the probe. Meter shows after 2s
that there is 10nC charge on the PWB, but reading increases steadily (2nC in a second) and shows after
4s that there is 14nC charge. What is the correct reading?
a) 2 nC
b) 4 nC
c) 8nC
d) 14nC
 DOCUMENTTYPE 3 (4)

ESD Protection, Exam

e) None of the previous

E-Field meter is used to measure surface potential of an insulative plastic tray (tray dimensions are
560mm*350mm*5mm) Tray is placed on a metal table and metal surface is grounded. Then tray surface
is rubbed with different materials (e.g. plastics, with a hand, etc.) and surface potential is measured
50mm far a way. Meter shows different readings depending on the location on the tray. However, the
maximum voltage readings are only about 200V even tray is know to be a good insulator. Why field
meter shows such a low voltages despite of heavy triboelectric charging of the tray? (Relative humidity is
around 25%)
a) Even the tray is a very good insulator it will still has a leakage through the metal table to ground.
b) E-field meter is a wrong tool and Trek 520 potential meter should be used.
c) Relative humidity causes a leakage current and charges of the tray will dissipate to ground.
d) Measurement environment prevents filed meter to detect high electrostatic fields.
e) None of the previous

PWB panels with four separate engines moves on a conveyor. Engines have all components soldered.
Potential meter shows with 10 panels that engines have potentials between: -66V and 1100V. What
action should be done?
a) Place an ioniser beside of the conveyor to neutralise the panel charges.
b) Required action depends on the next process phase. Check the next process phase and
verify/measure how PWB charges will be discharged.
c) Measure charges of the engines with a charge meter. If over 5nC charges are found then add an
ioniser to neutralise the charges.
d) Take an EMI meter and touch on the PWB ground area. If there is EMI signal then add an ioniser to
neutralise the charges.
e) Do nothing; PWBs have always static charges when moving on conveyor.

Insulation multimeter shows the next Resistance-To-Ground values when the same material is measured
three times from the same location: 14.33 GOhm, 16.59 GOhm and 8.80 GOhm. What is the best way to
report the Rtg reading?

a) Report the highest reading.

b) Report the lowest reading
c) Report that the Rtg is between 8 GOhm and 20 GOhm
d) Do not report Rtg at all due to large variation with the readings
e) Report all the reading exactly as shown by the reading (14.33 GOhm, 16.59 GOhm and 8.80 GOhm).

Insulation multimeter shows the next Resistance-To-Ground values when the same plastic material is
measured three times from the same location: 15.13 kOhm, 19.89 kOhm and 9.70 kOhm. What is the
best way to report the Rtg reading?
a) Report the highest reading.
b) Report the lowest reading
c) Report that the Rtg is between 9 kOhm and 20 kOhm
d) Report that the Rtg is less than 100kOhm.
e) Report all the reading exactly as shown by the meter (15.13 kOhm, 19.89 kOhm and 9.70 kOhm).

Products are moving on a flat belt conveyor. Products have less than 100V and 2nC charge when those
are measured on the flat belt. Over 1000V and 10nC charges are measured on the PWB of the product
 DOCUMENTTYPE 4 (4)

ESD Protection, Exam

when product is picked up from the flat belt by hand (PWB is isolated by plastic covers). The next
process phase is an automated electrical testing. What should be done?
a) PWB charges must be reduced just before testing with a grounding or by using 2…5s ionisation time.
b) Product charges are not too high and neutralisation is not needed.
c) Ioniser should be placed over the flat belt conveyor to remove product charges.
d) Charges are generated by the previous assembly processes and ionisation is needed during
assembly to neutralise PWB and cover charges.
e) Product part tray materials should be changed to static dissipative.

Other

This measurement training has been

a) wasting of time
b) my expectations were not met
b) about what I expected
c) better than I expected
d) excellent