Integrated Circuit Robustness Improvement Analysis, Modeling and Measurement Against Fast Transient Burst Events

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) for integrated circuits is becoming more and more important over the recent years. With the increasing number of functionalities and applications microcontrollers-based systems require higher level of immunity than ever before. This article focuses on one of the most important EMC test for industrial application, the Electrical Fast Transient (EFT) or Fast Transient Burst (FTB) defined by the IEC 61000-4-4 standard. The goal of this paper is to give key elements to understand the FTB stress propagation in a microcontroller system and its consequences. The resonances of the power distribution network are presented as being the key element to understand and improve the robustness of a microcontroller against fast transient stresses. A modeling and measurement method of the power distribution network is detailed to predict the resonances of the system and it is explained through the presentation of three different test cases.