Re: Static - Was: Cleaning
Posted by
beer@s...
on 2000-11-27 12:31:53 UTC
On 27 Nov, CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@egroups.com wrote:
some fun. They too were curious about the question of static and
electronics.
I forget the exact details and certainly don't remember the exact
methodology, but bottom line, they subjected a semiconductor device ( a
DRAM chip, I think ) to a static discharge and then examined the chip
under an SCM.
They DID find degradation as a result of the static charge .. a sort of
"pock mark" on the die. Strangely, the chip still worked after the
shock, but they theorized that the chip might very well fail after a
period of time ( something to do with ion migration .. something I truly
didn't understand ).
So while I don't have any RECENT evidence of electronics failure due to
static either, I've never forgotten that conversation and have always
tried to take precautions on those days when it's ACTUALLY DRY ENOUGH in
Vancouver to worry about it.
By RECENT, I refer to the last 15 to 20 years. Previous to that,
there was this new 4000 series CMOS that DID blow up REGULARLY just by
touching it .. I swear, sometimes just by looking at it. My COSMAC
Elf was one expensive SBC by the time it was actually running. Later
B series CMOS solved the problem, but at the expense of speed.
Alan
P.S. I too still get a giggle out of static packed resistors
static protection for the static protectors .. probably sounds
good in Latin
wherein the packaging has GOT to be more costly than the product.
--
Alan Rothenbush | The Spartans do not ask the number of the
Academic Computing Services | enemy, only where they are.
Simon Fraser University |
Burnaby, B.C., Canada | Agix of Sparta
>A few years ago, a number of the physicists around here decided to have
> Theoretically static discharge may be a problem, but so was the Y2K
> disaster we all were promised (does anyone remember that one?).
some fun. They too were curious about the question of static and
electronics.
I forget the exact details and certainly don't remember the exact
methodology, but bottom line, they subjected a semiconductor device ( a
DRAM chip, I think ) to a static discharge and then examined the chip
under an SCM.
They DID find degradation as a result of the static charge .. a sort of
"pock mark" on the die. Strangely, the chip still worked after the
shock, but they theorized that the chip might very well fail after a
period of time ( something to do with ion migration .. something I truly
didn't understand ).
So while I don't have any RECENT evidence of electronics failure due to
static either, I've never forgotten that conversation and have always
tried to take precautions on those days when it's ACTUALLY DRY ENOUGH in
Vancouver to worry about it.
By RECENT, I refer to the last 15 to 20 years. Previous to that,
there was this new 4000 series CMOS that DID blow up REGULARLY just by
touching it .. I swear, sometimes just by looking at it. My COSMAC
Elf was one expensive SBC by the time it was actually running. Later
B series CMOS solved the problem, but at the expense of speed.
Alan
P.S. I too still get a giggle out of static packed resistors
static protection for the static protectors .. probably sounds
good in Latin
wherein the packaging has GOT to be more costly than the product.
--
Alan Rothenbush | The Spartans do not ask the number of the
Academic Computing Services | enemy, only where they are.
Simon Fraser University |
Burnaby, B.C., Canada | Agix of Sparta