We want to build a sample holder in which contact pins have to be electrically insulated from a ground plate. It would be the easiest to machine this part (it has a relatively complicated geometry) from PEEK (polyether ether ketone).
I was wondering if this would cause problems with electrostatic discharges to which our samples are very sensitive.
Does anyone have experience in this regard?
Thanks a lot!
Johannes
Hello: One thing you could need to know is the Electrical breakdown, in V/m (Electrical Field) for that insulator. If you can not find its value in some tables, you could try is simply measure the insulation resistance of your PEEK layer.
And recall, one major source of electrostatic charge is one self, so usually in an electronics bench to work with CMOS components, the worker uses an anti-static wristband, non-plastic clothes, and a grounded carpet.
¿What else could polarize your PEEK holder?
Thanks Fernando!
I was thinking of triboelectric effects (such as in amber, for example) if I shift my sample over the PEEK holder.
Jo
May be you can build your holder in such a way that no shift my happen.
I do not know of triboelectric happening between a good conductor and any plastic at normal temperature. However, make a test and let us know. A simple electrostatic charge detector is described here: http://www.observationsblog.com/sciencetechnologyexperiments/-static-electricity-detector-easy-to-make. So long.
Thanks for the link, Fernando! That sounds like a fun and easy way to measure.
I found that companies sell special, filled PEEK materials that are slightly conductive to improve ESD problems and concluded from that, that I don't want to use it. We will machine the part from macor now.
Best, Jo
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