Apart from the layout and housing design, the characteristics of the ICs used play a key role for the EMC characteristics of devices. Reducing the size of the structure, operating voltages and operating points makes the ICs much more sensitive. If one approaches or even surpasses the 100 nm limit, the immunity compared to earlier ICs is reduced, a trend that is reflected in the device behaviour.

It is important that users of ICs are able to compare various types of IC on the basis of their EMC parameters. This enables the choice of the best IC, and means that the layout design and the device can be aligned to the IC's EMC parameters.

For manufacturers of ICs, good EMC characteristics for their products mean advantages over their competitors. The objective is thus to determine those parameters which are decisive for EMC immunity and emissions and allow engineers to draw conclusions for chip design.

It is nowadays common to quote a value of one to several kV in specifications as the ESD strength of electronic components (ICs, transistors) with reference to the human body model. With the human body model (HBM), a capacitor (100 pF) is charged with a test voltage and discharged on the device under test via 1500 ohm. The HBM is described in the standards MIL-STD-883G and in IEC 801-2. The machine model (MM) is a further test model that works according to the same principle.

Both models are only used to validate the immunity to destruction of the IC when handling the component during its production, packaging, transport and assembly. During MM or HBM tests, the test object is never connected to a voltage, i.e. it is not in operation.

…The IC test system can be used to analyse the behaviour of ICs under the selective influence of (conducted and radiated) disturbances and/or respective emissions. The insights gained from this analysis help semiconductor manufacturers optimise ICs and IC users overcome weak points in their electronic modules.