Methods and apparatus to produce a voltage pulse

An apparatus to generate a voltage pulse for testing an electronic device susceptible to electrostatic discharge, the apparatus comprising:

• a power source operable to generate a voltage signal;
• an energy storage device operable to receive the voltage signal through a first switch device, the first switch device being operated to selectively couple the power source to the energy storage device;
• a second switch device operable to couple the energy storage device to the electronic device, the second switch device supporting transfer of energy from the energy storage device to produce the voltage pulse for testing an electrostatic discharge protection circuit of the electronic device;
• the first and second switches limiting a residual voltage component present in the voltage pulse after an initial discharge of energy stored in the energy storage device through the electrostatic discharge protection circuit, the residual voltage component being at a level low enough to result in substantial deactivation of the electrostatic discharge protection circuit of the electronic device to avoid damage;
• and
• the apparatus further comprising a third switch device to shunt residual energy generated by the power source to ground while the second switch device is activated to couple the energy storage device to the electronic device to produce the voltage pulse.

A circuit for producing a simulated electrostatic discharge signal, the circuit comprising:

• a power source;
• a first switch device disposed between the power source and an energy storage device;
• a second switch device having a first contact coupled to the energy storage device and a second contact coupled at least indirectly to an output terminal of the circuit;
• and
• the first switch device and second switch device operable in relation to each other to produce a simulated electrostatic discharge signal having a first voltage component and a second voltage component, the first component being an exponential voltage decay component, the second voltage component having a voltage level below a cutoff voltage threshold to avoid damaging an electronic device that receives the simulated electrostatic discharge signal through the output terminal;
• and
• wherein the first switch device is a high-voltage, dry reed vacuum relay device and the second switch device is a high-voltage, gas-filled mercury relay device.

A method of generating a voltage pulse for testing an electronic device susceptible to electrostatic discharge, the method comprising:

• generating a voltage signal above 500 volts;
• setting a first switch device to a closed state to couple the voltage signal to charge an energy storage device;
• setting the first switch device to an open state to decouple the voltage signal from the energy storage device;
• and
• setting a second switch device to a closed state to couple energy stored in the energy storage device to test a protection circuit of the electronic device, coupling energy stored in the energy storage device to the protection circuit resulting in generation of a simulated electrostatic discharge voltage pulse including a residual voltage component superimposed on a substantial exponential decay voltage component, the residual voltage component being below a predetermined threshold to prevent the protection circuit of the electronic device from being damaged;
• and
• shunting residual energy generated by a power source generating the voltage signal so as to prevent the residual voltage component from exceeding the predetermined threshold.

A method of manufacturing a voltage pulse generator for testing an electronic device susceptible to electrostatic discharge, the method comprising:

• interconnecting a power source, a first switch device, a second switch device, and an energy storage device to produce the voltage pulse generator operable to support generation of a simulated electrostatic discharge voltage pulse;
• enabling the first switch device to electrically couple a voltage signal generated by the power source to charge an energy storage device;
• and
• enabling the second switch device to electrically couple energy stored in the energy storage device to the electronic device while the voltage signal is simultaneously decoupled from the energy storage device, operation of the first and second switches limiting a residual voltage component present in the voltage pulse after an initial discharge of energy stored in the energy storage device through the electrostatic discharge protection circuit, the residual voltage component being at a level low enough to result in substantial deactivation of the electrostatic discharge protection circuit of the electronic device to avoid damage;
• and
• providing the first switch device to be a high-voltage, dry reed vacuum relay device and the second switch device to be a high-voltage, gas-filled mercury relay device.