Characterisation of electrostatic discharges from insulating surfaces

Davidson, J.L., Williams, T.J., Bailey, A.G. and Hearn, G.L. (2001) Characterisation of electrostatic discharges from insulating surfaces. Journal of Electrostatics, 51-52, 374-380. (doi:10.1016/S0304-3886(01)00104-8).

Abstract

This paper investigates how the presence of a grounded backing plane influences the electrostatic discharge (ESD) characteristics from a charged polystyrene sheet. High-speed digital sampling techniques are used to capture discharge current waveforms via a specially designed current probe, the resultant scans giving clear indication of how the surface charge distribution contributes to the ESD. Data obtained indicate that the presence of a grounded backing plate close to a charged plastic surface has a significant effect on the resultant discharge from the surface for a given initial surface charge density. The results suggest that the presence of an earthed metal backing plate can mean the difference between an incendiary and a non-incendiary ESD. This has implications for the design of plastic components for use in sensitive flammable atmospheres.

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