Have you ever gotten a shock when touching a metal piece, a doorknob, or even another person? This sudden jolt is caused by the discharge of static electricity that has built up in your body.
The separation of charges occurs during various activities, such as combing your hair, walking on a carpet, or running on a treadmill. This means that positive and negative charges on our bodies, clothes, and environment become separated.
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) describes the transfer of the electrical charges. When charges separate, static electricity can build up. As a result, a sudden flow of electricity may occur as the charge seeks to neutralize, causing us to feel a tiny electric shock.
You can observe the phenomenon in the simulation below I ran using CST Studio Suite software, where I applied electrostatic discharge (ESD) using a virtual ESD simulator or a so-called gun, traditionally used for real-world product testing. The simulation shows how the electric field and current spread across its structure to dissipate and neutralize the discharge.
The voltage generated during basic activities, such as walking across a carpet, can reach up to 35 kV (kilovolts) and last for only about 30-100 nanoseconds. Its brief duration is one of the reasons it is not life-threatening. However, it can damage electronic devices and components. This is why it’s crucial to design them to be resilient and capable of dissipating the discharge without sustaining damage.
The key to success with ESD is prediction and smart design. This can be achieved by utilizing simulations from the early stages to the final product.
