What type of failure does a damaged Electrostatic Sensitive Device (ESD) have if it passed a bench check but failed under stress?

What type of failure does a damaged Electrostatic Sensitive Device (ESD) have if it passed a bench check but failed under stress?

• A. Immediate failure
• B. Insulation damage
• C. Latent
• D. Short circuit

Answer: (C)

Latent failure is the idea that a defect remains hidden under normal conditions and only shows up when the part is stressed. Electrostatic discharge can injure a device in a way that doesn’t produce an obvious fault during a routine bench check, but leaves a weakness in the internal structure. When the part is later subjected to stress—like higher voltage, temperature changes, or other operating demands—that hidden weakness becomes evident and the device fails. If a device truly had an immediate failure, it would show up during the bench test or as soon as stress is applied; insulation damage would typically present as leakage or breakdown under test conditions rather than a delayed reveal; and a short circuit would create an obvious, direct conductive path right away. The situation described—passing a bench check but failing under stress—fits the pattern of a latent defect caused by prior ESD damage.

Latent failure is the idea that a defect remains hidden under normal conditions and only shows up when the part is stressed. Electrostatic discharge can injure a device in a way that doesn’t produce an obvious fault during a routine bench check, but leaves a weakness in the internal structure. When the part is later subjected to stress—like higher voltage, temperature changes, or other operating demands—that hidden weakness becomes evident and the device fails.

If a device truly had an immediate failure, it would show up during the bench test or as soon as stress is applied; insulation damage would typically present as leakage or breakdown under test conditions rather than a delayed reveal; and a short circuit would create an obvious, direct conductive path right away. The situation described—passing a bench check but failing under stress—fits the pattern of a latent defect caused by prior ESD damage.