Efficient Approach for System-level ESD Simulation Including Secondary Discharge

This paper presents a methodology for performing efficient system-level electrostatic discharge (ESD) simulations, with an emphasis on analyzing secondary discharges. The proposed method models air discharge by combining circuit simulations and fluid-based plasma solver to simulate secondary discharge and plasma phenomena. The impedance model of the device under test (DUT) is extracted in the form of S-parameters for application in circuit simulations, and the ESD injection voltage is analyzed in the time domain. An ESD discharge is modelled by incorporating a non-linear arc resistance model, and the ESD injection voltage is extracted through transient simulations. By applying a circuit model of each component in the DUT, extracted through the PEEC solver, and the ESD injection voltage obtained through the fluid-based plasma solver, a systemlevel circuit simulation is performed. The effect of ESD on the entire system is analyzed to identify the cause of malfunction in the DUT. This research is expected to improve the understanding of air discharge phenomena and contribute to efficient system-level ESD vulnerability analysis and countermeasures.