🔎What is System-Level ESD Protection?

Modern consumer electronics, industrial equipment, and communication devices increasingly rely on high-speed interfaces such as USB, HDMI, LVDS, Type-C, and Ethernet. These channels depend on high-performance transceiver ICs that operate at multi-GHz speeds.

System-level ESD protection aims to protect electronic systems from damage caused by static shock, surges, and transient overvoltages at the entire device level.

For over a decade, Semiware has focused on system-level ESD protection technology, continuously providing high-performance, low-capacitance, and fast-response TVS diodes and ESD protection arrays to customers worldwide.

Our ESD protection product line ↗️includes solutions for high-speed interfaces such as USB, HDMI, Type-C, and RJ45. Featuring low clamping voltage, low junction capacitance, and excellent response speed, it provides system-level protection for a variety of sensitive chips.

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🔎What is Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)?

Electrostatic discharge is a natural phenomenon. When there is an imbalance in charge between objects, electrons suddenly release to balance the charge, resulting in a transient high-voltage shock.

To humans, this shock is merely a slight sensation, but it can cause catastrophic damage to high-speed signal chips or microelectronic circuits.

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⚡Common Sources of Electrostatic Discharge

Electrostatic discharge can occur in electronic device interfaces due to various reasons, primarily the following:

1️⃣ Human Body Model (HBM)

  • Discharge occurs when a charged person touches an interface (such as plugging or unplugging a USB, HDMI, or headphone jack);
  • Ungrounded maintenance or testing can cause static electricity to be transferred from the hand to the interface.

2️⃣ Charged Object Contact (MM)

  • Ungrounded metal tools (tweezers, screwdrivers) or test instruments touch the interface;
  • Discharge occurs when a peripheral device (such as a USB flash drive or charger) is plugged in.

3️⃣ Triboelectric or Separation Charging (CDM – Charged Device Model)

  • Frequent plugging and unplugging of Type-C and RJ45 interfaces causes triboelectric charging;
  • Friction between packaging materials and devices during transportation generates static electricity.

4️⃣ Environmentally Induced Static

  • Electric fields generated by high-voltage devices or monitor screens are induced on the interface;
  • Air discharge or lightning strikes in dry environments.

⚡Typical ESD Damage Symptoms

ESD can cause both visible and invisible failures:

➡️ Communication Problems

  • signal loss
  • USB/HDMI data rate reduction
  • link drops in Ethernet or LVDS channels

➡️ Permanent Failure

  • interface IC breakdown
  • port becomes unresponsive

➡️ Latent (Invisible) Damage

  • minor internal junction breakdown
  • reduced long-term reliability
  • intermittent faults that are hard to debug

Latent damage is one of the biggest challenges because the device may pass testing but fail in the field.

System-level ESD is a critical reliability factor for any modern electronic device. Using the right low-capacitance TVS diodes and ESD protection arrays can improve system and reduce field failures.

🔗 Explore Semiware’s full ESD protection Solutions for USB, HDMI, Type-C, RJ45, and other sensitive interfaces.👉https://en.semiware.com/product-line/esd-protection-diodes/