EOS analysis of soldering iron tip voltage

The soldering iron 2 mV requirement is deficient, flawed, impractical, and is not related to the electrical overstress (EOS) that will damage the most sensitive semiconductor devices. New requirements have been developed base d on semiconductors and device physics. The analysis of soldering irons res ulted in a protection method that was developed by using equivalent circuit s. The requirements are set, based on the necessary conditions for the prev ention of EOS, by setting the maximum permissible voltage and current. A ca se history is presented to show the analysis procedures used. The analysis leads to the discovery of a electrostatic discharge event due to the stray capacitance of the soldering iron. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B .V. All rights reserved.