Development of an embedded terminal protection device (TPD) tester

A test technique has been developed that can measure the clamp voltage of embedded terminal protection devices and thus determine their functionality with the application of a single pulse. The use of a moderate (50 ns) risetime reduces the artifact associated with the circuit elements and parasitic reactances. Pulse durations of several hundred nanoseconds are adequate for measuring the clamp voltage of TPDs in a wide range of circuits. With the appropriate choice of pulse duration and amplitude, the technique can be used in automatic test systems.