Issue 3, March 2005: Rodger Richey
Issue 3, March 2005: Rodger Richey
Issue 3, March 2005: Rodger Richey
NOVEMBER 2004
Introduction
Rodger Richey
Senior Applications Manager
This issue focuses on Electrical Fast Transients or EFT. EFT Compatibility (EMC), What is Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)? and
primarily affects applications that are connected to AC mains. What are Electrical Fast Transients (EFT)? Look for new web
EFT is fast transient signals that are coupled onto the AC mains seminars on PCB Layout, Transformerless Power Supply Design,
by a variety of equipment (refer to the article “What is EFT?” in and EMI Suppression among others.
Issue 1 of this newsletter). This noise then travels the wiring in If you would like to be placed on the distribution list for the EMC
your house or building to potentially wreak havoc on your newsletter, we have combined our list with the list for the
appliances, computers or anything else connected to the wall Microsolutions e-newsletter. This newsletter covers new product
outlets. The articles in this issue will focus on how to minimize the announcements for all types of Microchip products, tips & tricks
effect of EFT on your circuit. for using Microchip devices, recently released application notes,
In case you missed the first two issues of the EMC newsletter, you to name a few. You can sign up for the mailing list at the following
can download them both from the Microchip website under link: http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=
Application Design Centers > Home Appliance Solutions, or SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=1421
Automotive Design Centers. We have received lots of feedback on these first few issues,
Microchip will be posting a new Design Center to our website that especially on future topics. Some of these include detailed
focuses on EMC Robustness. This Design Center will collect all information on ground planes, high intensity radiated fields and
the EMC related items available on the Microchip website in one lightning protection. If you have a topic you would like to see
place. This will include application notes, newsletters, web included in a future issue, please send an email to:
seminars, and so on. Did you know that Microchip has posted EMC@microchip.com.
three EMC related web seminars? To find these archived The next issue of the EMC newsletter will focus on defensive
seminars follow this link: http://techtrain.microchip.com/ software techniques to make your application more robust.
webseminars/WebSemCListArch.aspx Articles will include power-ups, detecting RAM corruption, using
These web seminars are the first in a series of seminars that will serial EEPROMs, using WDT, among others.
be presented over the next year. These first few cover the basics
of EMC including an Introduction to Electromagnetic
When improving the EFT performance of your application, The following table shows the comparison of these
resistors, ferrite beads and capacitors usually don’t devices. The MOV is the most commonly used device
provide the necessary level of suppression. The energy because it is less expensive and provides relatively good
and speed of EFT signals are bigger and faster than these performance.
passive and extremely inexpensive components can The first row in the table shows the ideal transient
handle. suppressor characteristics. I don’t know if such a device
Most applications will use Metal Oxide Varistors (MOV), actually exists, but if you find one, let us know.
Silicon Avalanche Diodes (SAD), Gas Discharge Tubes Being aware of how transient suppression devices
(GDT), Thyristors or a Spark Gap. The difficulty is compar- compare, and designing accordingly can contribute much
ing these devices in terms of speed, energy dissipation to improving the EFT performance of your applications.
and loss, and ultimately cost.
Energy
Device V/I Curve Speed Loss Cost Failure Mode
Capability
Ideal Sharp/Flat Fast Infinite None Free Open
MOV Sharp/Non-linear Medium High High Low Short
SAD Sharp/Flat Fast Low Low Moderate Open/Short
GDT Erratic/Non-linear Slow High Low Moderate Open
Thyristor Sharp/Flat Medium High Low Moderate Open/Short
Spark Gap Erratic/Non-linear Slow High Low Low Open
FL FL These are some of the quick fixes you can use to address
the Electrical Fast Transients issue. These fixes are
POOR GOOD generally well known, are easy to implement, and have
worked for many who have implemented them.
Digital
Analog
Digital Supply
AIN Digital
Digital Ground
AIN
J1 J2 Analog Ground
(c) Better
(d) Best
Connector
Connector
Connector
Controller
Controller
I/O Cn
I/O Cn
Power
+5 C1 C4
PICmicro® MCU
0.1 μf 47 μf
VDD
C5
0.1 μf
VSS
Noise Source R6
Digital I/O Digital I/O
1k
R1
Analog Input Analog Signal
10k
R2 10k
To start, we want to identify the noise source and make the With two ground planes and two 5-volt supplies you will
physical distance between the noise source and the need to pay special attention to how signals are connected
microcontroller as large as possible. In most applications, to the microcontroller. In general, any signal that crosses
the microcontroller will be the most sensitive to an EFT over the boundary between the two ground planes must
event, but the same techniques discussed in this article go through a series resistance. The physical placement of
can be applied to any other part of the design. this resistor needs to be directly over the gap between the
Next, we will create two ground planes: one for the two ground planes. Once the signal passes through this
microcontroller and one for the remainder of the board. series resistance, it must be referenced to the ground
The ground planes and 5-volt supplies are connected by plane that the signal now resides on. The example below
RC filter networks. The resistors of these filter networks is for a digital I/O, but the same technique can also be
need to be sized according to the maximum allowable applied to analog signals.
voltage difference between the +5 high-power supply and Example: On the board’s ground plane, the block labeled
the +5 digital supply. In this design, I am allowing 50 mV of Digital I/O is a digital input which consists of a common
potential difference between the two 5-volt supplies. My emitter NPN transistor that is used to actuate a relay. The
current budget for the +5 digital supply is 5 mA. Under micro’s Digital I/O block is operating as an output. The
these conditions, I can have 10 ohms of resistance base of this transistor is connected to the output of the
between the 5-volt supplies. The 10 ohms of resistance is microcontroller through the 1k ohm series resistor. In this
split evenly between R4 and R5, because it is just as easy case, the emitter of the NPN needs to be referenced to the
for an EFT event to propagate through the supply, as it is Board ground. All other parts of the relay circuit need to be
to propagate through the ground. Also, the physical referenced to the Board supply and ground. Now, any EFT
placement of these resistors needs to be directly over the that occurs in this part of the circuitry has only one path
gap between the two ground planes. Placing the resistors back to the microcontroller and that is through the 1k ohm
in such a way forces the EFT event to pass through the resistor.
resistors without the possibility of coupling around them.
R6
Digital I/O Digital I/O
1k
R1
Analog Input Analog Signal
10k
R2 10k
Noise Source
03/01/05