ESD Sensitive parts
By LearnESD.com

There are many type of sensitive parts.
Some of the most sensitive parts used in the Electronic Industry are:

1] Radio Frequency components
2] Disk Drive head (Magneto resistive heads (MR), Giant Magneto resistive heads (GMR))
3] Complementary Metal Oxide Silicon (CMOS) Integrated Circuits (ICs)
4] Gallium Arsenide Field Effect transistors (GaAsFETs)
5] Reticles
6] Random Access Memory (RAM) chips

Among the all, GMR is the most sensitive parts with withstand voltage in a few volt range.

The sensitivity level for majority of modern sensitive parts are documented in their component datasheets. The threshold voltage for Human Body Model (HBM), Machine Model (MM), Charge Device Model (CDM) for the sensitive parts is in the datasheets.

ESD sensitive parts are packaged in the packaging that suits the parts.
The sensitive parts can be identified through an symbol.

The most commonly used symbols are described here:

1] A bar is across the human's hand
2] Three arrows pointing inwards (this is an obsolete Military symbol but it is still widely used by some component manufacturers)

These symbols are either printed in paper sign-labels or permanently imprinted in the part's packaging, for example the symbol is placed on the reels.

A proper handling of sensitive parts is required when handling the ESDS parts.




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