Study of ESD induced by spark EMP radiation at low air pressure

• The experimental apparatus for ESD in the EMP radiation environment is designed and implemented.
• The effect of spark EMP radiation on ESD has been experimented at low air pressure.
• The threshold of ESD decreases with the increase of the E-field of spark EMP radiation.
• The current amplitude of ESD induced by the spark EMP radiation is lower than that in normal.

In order to analyze the effect of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) radiation on electrostatic discharge (ESD) at low air pressure, we implemented the experimental apparatus for the ESD in the electromagnetic pulse radiation environment using spark discharge as the source of EMP, and analyzed the results based on the microscopic particles movement of gas discharge. The results show the following characteristics. Due to the increase of the effective ionization coefficient, the threshold of ESD decreases with the increase of spark EMP electric field (E-field); compared with the current of ESD in normal, the ESD induced by spark EMP radiation is lower in current amplitude and can not be self-sustained.