Computer Simulation of Effects of Electrostatic Discharge in Frequency Domain

BACKGROUND: There’s a need to develop computer modeling tools that allow assessing the effect of electromagnetic interference on equipment units at the design stage. AIM: To determine the possibility of using frequency domain computational methods to simulate transient processes, when an electrostatic discharge affects equipment units. METHODS: The paper proposes to use surface integral equations in the frequency domain to model standardized effects of electrostatic discharges on equipment units. For this, the fast Fourier transform is applied to the standardized discharge current and the effect of a lumped harmonic current source for a frequency sequence is modeled using frequency domain methods. The effect-to-interference conversion factor is determined for each frequency. The time dependences of the voltages and currents induced by electrostatic discharge are determined by the inverse fast Fourier transform applied to the product of the discharge current spectrum and the corresponding conversion factor. RESULTS: The results obtained by the proposed frequency domain methods match the results of time domain methods with a reasonable degree of accuracy for practical calculations. In this case, the effect of each frequency component is analyzed independently, allowing for a high degree of parallelization of calculations; whereas calculations using time domain methods require completed calculations for previous time points. Requirements to the size of mesh elements are determined by the wavelength at the maximum frequency used. CONCLUSION: The paper demonstrates the fundamental possibility of using frequency domain methods to model pulsed electromagnetic effects, including the effect of electrostatic discharge. Frequency dependences of the conversion factors and the spectral density of interference provide additional information on the relationship between interference levels and the geometry of equipment units and possible ways to reduce them.