The document discusses electrostatic discharge (ESD) and how ESD capacitors are used to protect integrated circuits from ESD events. It provides an overview of ESD, its causes and effects, and outlines two main functions of ESD capacitors - diverting charge from ESD pulses and absorbing charge to reduce voltage. The document also details KEMET's portfolio of ESD rated multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) in various case sizes, capacitance values, and ESD withstand ratings according to industry testing standards. It emphasizes that while any capacitor can provide ESD protection, ESD rated capacitors are designed and tested to guarantee specified ESD withstand performance.

1. Ceramic ESD Capacitors
March 2018

2. Outline
• What is ESD?
• How are ESD capacitors used?
• Portfolio and upcoming releases
• Key Takeaways

3. What is ESD?

4. So, what’s the Problem?
Billions of
dollars lost
annually
33% loss on
productivity
ESD Association

5. Sources of ESD

6. What must we do?
We must protect integrated circuits!!!
IC
I/OConnector
ESD Protection Device
ESD Protection Requirements:
• Suppress ESD pulse below IC maximum requirements
• Negligible impact on data line (no signal distortion)
• Small footprint
Data line

7. ESD Capacitors……what are they?
Standard Capacitor with ESD Rating
• Used for general purpose designs
• Filtering, bypassing, timing, etc.
• Not used for protecting IC’s from transients
• May be required to have an ESD rating as to not
fail under anticipated ESD pulses in the field.
ESD Protection Capacitor
• Used specifically to protect other circuits from
ESD pulses
• ESD rating required per specifications
• Designers must determine what capacitance
values will produce effective ESD suppression.
Just because an ESD capacitor has a high ESD rating, it
doesn’t mean it’s good for protecting against ESD!!
ESD capacitor is a capacitor that is rated to a specified ESD value using standardized
testing such as AEC-Q200 or IEC 61000-4-2 and is design controlled throughout the
lifetime of the part to maintain the ESD rating.
Two Functions of an ESD Rated Capacitor

8. MLCC Protection
Diverting the Charge
IC
ESD Event
Charge Downstream
Diverted Charge
MLCC

9. MLCC Protection
Absorbing the Charge
𝐶𝐶𝐶 𝐶𝐶2
V1
+
-
Switch Open
𝑄𝑄𝑄
𝑄𝑄𝑄 = 𝐶𝐶𝐶 � 𝑉𝑉𝑉

10. MLCC Protection
Absorbing the Charge
𝐶𝐶𝐶 𝐶𝐶2
V1
+
-
Switch Closed
𝑄𝑄𝑄
V2
+
-
𝑉𝑉𝑉 =
𝑄𝑄𝑄
𝐶𝐶𝐶 + 𝐶𝐶𝐶

11. MLCC Protection
Absorbing the Charge
Time (ns)
Voltage
Voltage
Time (ns)
No MLCC ESD Protection With MLCC ESD Protection
ICMLCCESD Source
𝐶𝐶𝐶 𝐶𝐶2
𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉

12. General Overview
MLCC Protection
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
10 100 1000 10000 100000
FinalVoltage
ESD MLCC Capacitance (pF)
Resulting VoltageUsing MLCCs for ESD Protection
ESD Voltage: 25kV
Source Capacitance: 150pF

13. Capacitance Value
The Tradeoff
Capacitance Value
1pF 10pF 100pF 1,000pF 10,000pF 100,000pF 1,000,000pF
High
Low

14. ESD Testing using Human Body Model
Per AEC-Q200
ESD Gun

15. ESD Testing using Human Body Model
Per AEC-Q200

16. Passive Component HBM ESD
Classification Levels
(DC= Direct Contact Discharge, AD = Air Discharge)
Component Classification Maximum Withstand Voltage
1A < 500 V (DC)
1B 500 V (DC) a < 1000 V (DC)
1C 1000 V (DC) a < 2000 V (DC)
2 2000 V (DC) a < 4000 V (DC)
3 4000 V (DC) a < 6000 V (DC)
4 6000 V (DC) a < 8000 V (DC)
5A 8000 V (DC) a < 12,000 V (AD)
5B 12,000 V (AD) a < 16,000 V (AD)
5C 16,000 V (AD) a < 25,000 V (AD)
6 ≥ 25,000 V (AD)
AEC - Q200 - 002 -REV-B

17. Product Portfolio

18. C0G and X7R Dielectrics
EIA 0402, 0603, 0805 & 1206 Case Sizes
DC Voltage Ratings of 16 – 250V
Capacitance Range from 1nF to 2.2µF
ESD Qualified per HBM - AEC Q200-002
RoHS, Pb-Free & Halogen Free
Flexible Termination Option Available
Commercial & Automotive Grade
ESD (Electro Static Discharge) MLCCs

19. ESD Rated MLCCs – C0G Dielectric
Human Body Model AEC Q200-002
ESD C0G
Cap
Cap
Code
Case Size/ Series C0402C C0603C C0805C C1206C
Rated Voltage (VDC) 25 50 63 100 25 50 63 100 200 25 50 63 100 200 250 25 50 63 100 200 250
Voltage Code 3 5 M 1 3 5 M 1 2 3 5 M 1 2 A 3 5 M 1 2 A
Cap Tolerance ESD Level per AEC-Q200 [kV]
1.0nF 102
F = ±1%
G = ±2%
J = ±5%
K = ±10%
M = ±20%
4 4 4 4 6 6 6 6 6 8 8 8 8 8 8 12 12 12 12 12 12
1.5nF 152 6 6 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 16 16 16 16 16 16
2.2nF 222 6 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 16 16 16 16 16 16
3.3nF 332 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
4.7nF 472 16 16 16 16 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
6.8nF 682 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
10nF 103 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
15nF 153 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
22nF 223 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
33nF 333 25 25 25 25 25
47nF 473 25 25 25 25 25
68nF 683 25 25
100nF 104 25
150nF 154
220nF 224
AEC Q200 - 002
Component
Classification
Withstand
Voltage
2 2kV (DC)
3 4kV (DC)
4 6kV (DC)
5A 8kV (DC)
5B 12kV (AD)
5C 16kV (AD)
6 25kV (AD)
DC= Direct Contact Discharge
AD = Air Discharge)

20. ESD Rated MLCCs – X7R Dielectric
Human Body Model AEC Q200-002
ESD X7R
Cap
Cap
Code
Case Size/ Series C0402C C0603C C0805C C1206C
Rated Voltage (VDC) 16 25 50 16 25 50 63 100 200 16 25 50 63 100 200 250 16 25 50 63 100 200 250
Voltage Code 4 3 5 4 3 5 M 1 2 4 3 5 M 1 2 A 4 3 5 M 1 2 A
Cap Tolerance ESD Level per AEC-Q200 [kV]
1.0nF 102
J = ±5%
K = ±10%
M = ±20%
2 2 2 25 25 25 25 25 25 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
1.5nF 152 4 4 4 12 12 12 12 12 12 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
2.2nF 222 6 6 6 25 25 25 25 25 25 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
3.3nF 332 8 8 8 12 12 12 12 12 12 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
4.7nF 472 8 8 8 16 16 16 16 16 16 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
6.8nF 682 4 4 4 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
10nF 103 6 6 6 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
15nF 153 6 6 6 16 16 16 16 16 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
22nF 223 8 8 8 16 16 16 16 16 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
33nF 333 8 8 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
47nF 473 12 12 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
68nF 683 12 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
100nF 104 16 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
150nF 154 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
220nF 224 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
330nF 334 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
470nF 474 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
680nF 684 25 25 25 25 25 25
1.0µF 105 25 25 25 25 25
1.5µF 155 25 25 25 25
2.2µF 225 25 25 25 25
AEC Q200 - 002
Component
Classification
Withstand
Voltage
2 2kV (DC)
3 4kV (DC)
4 6kV (DC)
5A 8kV (DC)
5B 12kV (AD)
5C 16kV (AD)
6 25kV (AD)
DC= Direct Contact Discharge
AD = Air Discharge)

21. ESD Part Ordering Information
C 0603 C 103 K 3 R E C TU
Ceramic
Case Size
(L" x W")
Specification
/ Series
Capacitance
Code (pF)
Capacitance
Tolerance
Rated
Voltage
(VDC)
Dielectric
Failure Rate/
Design
Termination
Finish
Packaging/
Grade
(C-Spec)
0402 C = Standard 2 significant digits
+ number of zeros
F = ±1% 4 = 16 R = X7R E = ESD C = 100% Matte Sn See
"Packaging
C-Spec
Ordering
Options Table"
0603 X = Flexible G = ±2% 3 = 25 G = C0G
0805 Termination J = ±5% 5 = 50
1206 K = ±10% 1 = 100
M = ±20% 2 = 200
A = 250
Packaging C-Spec Ordering Options Table
Packaging/Grade
Ordering Code (C-Spec)
Packaging Type
Standard
Not required (Blank) Bulk Bag
TU 7" Reel / Unmarked
7411 13" Reel / Punched Paper
7210 13" Reel / Embossed Plastic
7081 7" Reel / Unmarked / 2mm pitch
7082 13" Reel / Unmarked / 2mm pitch
Automotive
AUTO 7" Reel
AUTO 7411 13" Reel / Unmarked / Punched Paper
AUTO 7210 13" Reel / Unmarked / Embossed Plastic
3190 7" Reel / Unmarked / 2mm pitch
3191 13" Reel / Unmarked / 2mm pitch

22. Tools

23. Key Takeaways
• ESD causes billions of dollars a year in the electronics industry.
• Almost all designers of electronics that use semiconductors have to be concerned about
potential ESD effects.
• One of the primary methods of ESD protection are ESD capacitors.
• KEMET offers both C0G and X7R ESD rated capacitors.
• KEMET’s ESD offering is tested per AEC-Q200 Human Body Model
• Any capacitor can be used for ESD protection but ESD rated capacitors are guaranteed to
meet certain ESD requirements.
• KEMET will continue to expand their ESD portfolio this year with additional case sizes and
capacitance ranges.

24. Please visit: http://www.kemet.com/ESD