IEC 60749-26:2025

Overview

IEC 60749-26:2025 - Semiconductor devices - Mechanical and climatic test methods - Part 26: Electrostatic discharge (ESD) sensitivity testing - Human body model (HBM) - defines a standardized test method to reproduce, measure and classify semiconductor component susceptibility to Human Body Model (HBM) ESD. Edition 5.0 (2025) focuses on repeatable, tester‑to‑tester HBM results so that components and microcircuits can be reliably compared and assigned HBM sensitivity levels.

Key updates in this edition:

• New definitions to clarify terminology.
• Clarified treatment and designation for low‑parasitic HBM simulators, including the maximum number of pins that may pass under the low‑parasitic allowance.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and purpose: Procedures for testing, evaluating and classifying device damage or degradation from a defined HBM discharge; default HBM method unless another IEC 60749 ESD method is specified.
• Apparatus and equipment: Requirements for waveform verification gear, oscilloscopes (including digital oscilloscope specifics), current probes, attenuators, evaluation loads and HBM simulators.
• Waveform verification & parasitics: Detailed measurement and capture procedures to verify HBM waveforms and detect parasitic effects (trailing pulses, pre‑pulse rise, pre‑current spikes).
• Tester qualification & routine checks: Qualification procedures for HBM ESD testers, test fixture board qualification, routine waveform checks and records to ensure consistency.
• Stressing and pin combinations: Methods for stressing devices, pin‑pair and pin‑grouping rules (supply vs non‑supply pins), sampling methods for cloned I/O pins, and handling of “no connect” pins.
• Classification & failure criteria: Procedures for functional/parametric testing before and after stress, failure definitions and component classification into HBM sensitivity levels.
• Safety and documentation: Safety requirements for personnel and mandatory recordkeeping of qualification and periodic checks.

Applications and who uses it

IEC 60749-26:2025 is used by:

• Semiconductor manufacturers for design validation and ESD protection verification.
• Component test laboratories and ATE engineers for standardized ESD qualification.
• Reliability and QA teams for supplier qualification and lot acceptance testing.
• Failure analysis groups to reproduce ESD‑induced failures.
• Procurement and compliance teams for specifying ESD robustness in contracts and datasheets.

Practical benefits include reproducible HBM test data, consistent classification of device robustness, and clearer allowances for low‑parasitic test setups.

Related standards

• IEC 60749 series (other mechanical and climatic test methods)
• IEC 60749-27 - Machine model (MM) ESD test method (alternate ESD testing approach)

Keywords: IEC 60749-26:2025, HBM, Human Body Model, ESD sensitivity testing, semiconductor devices, HBM ESD tester, waveform verification, low parasitics, pin combinations, ESD classification.