SPVA018 August   2025 LM2904B

 

  1.   1
  2.   Abstract
  3.   Trademarks
  4. 1Introduction
  5. 2ESD Overview
    1. 2.1 What is Electrostatic Discharge?
      1. 2.1.1 ESD Cell Robustness in Semiconductors
  6. 3Types of ESD Cells
    1. 3.1 Dual Diode Configuration
      1. 3.1.1 Why Not Always Use Dual Diode Configuration?
    2. 3.2 Bootstrapped Diodes
    3. 3.3 Absorption Devices
      1. 3.3.1 Active Clamps
      2. 3.3.2 GCNMOS Clamps
    4. 3.4 Silicon Controlled Rectifiers
    5. 3.5 CER and ECR NPN Diodes
      1. 3.5.1 Measuring the Response of an ECR and CER ESD Cell
    6. 3.6 Comparison of ESD Cells
  7. 4How to Determine the ESD Structure of the Device from the Data Sheet
  8. 5How to Protect The System from In Circuit ESD/EOS Events
    1. 5.1 Using TVS Diodes and Series Resistance for Circuit Protection
    2. 5.2 Using Schottky Diodes for Circuit Protection
  9. 6How to Test an Op Amp in a System Level Circuit
    1. 6.1 ESD Protection Cell Advancements Over the Years
  10. 7Summary
  11. 8References

3.6 Comparison of ESD Cells

Overall, many factors go into the design of ESD cells for a particular op amp. Consider the trade offs each structure has when designing an op amp. Below shows the IV curve of the different types of ESD clamps, emphasizing the importance of your application when choosing the correct ESD protection structure.

ESD Clamp Comparison Figure 3-12 ESD Clamp Comparison