IC-based Antenna Switch Modeling and Robustness Evaluation for SEED Applications

ESD discharges to antennas can damage the RF front end. In particular, antennas with highly inductive ground connections allow large ESD-induced voltages at their RF terminals. This work investigates the ESD properties of an RF switch used as an antenna tuner by measuring the voltages and currents at its terminals and building a SPICE model. The goal is to predict the damage threshold when the switch is used in an RF front end.