Danger of high voltage ground short in ESD protection scheme?

Hi,

A conductive surface wired to ground and to worker touches sensitive semiconducting components. Some components create high voltage. If ground surface touches high voltage comonents, worker is protected by megaohm resistor in wrist strap, but other components lie between high voltage component and ground wire! Thus, sensitive semiconducting components will be destroyed by great current from high voltage in ground short. Assume aluminum is the conducting surface. Could another surface material still dissapate ESD to ground but prevent great current from high voltage discharge? Thanks.

Reply to
nicklaforge
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It has occured to me that it is best to work on the conductive surface only when no voltage is applied, and to insulate components from ground surface (and thus from other semiconductor components) when applying voltage to those components, as the worker never touches such live components anyway. However, after voltage application ends, the component must be grounded away from the semiconducter components, and only then placed on the same surface.

Such a conducting, grounded surface could be aluminum, but I see so called "anti-static mats" for sale. How are these any different from ordinary conductors? Do they have resistance to prevent great current? Thanks.

Reply to
nicklaforge

Hmm... grounded aluminum is perhaps too conductive and would create to great a current ground in contact with a previously statically charged component. Thus "anti-static mats" must have internal resistance. Can anybody verify this? Thanks.

Reply to
nicklaforge

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Reply to
Michael A. Terrell

Hi,

Thanks for the link. (Which states work-surface should be between

1,000,000 and 1,000,000,000 ohms resistance.)
Reply to
nicklaforge

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