Method for increasing the ESD pulse stability of an electrical component

1. A method for increasing ESD pulse stability of an electrical component, the method comprising:

physically changing an electrical component by applying an aging pulse generated by a pulse generator to the electrical component, wherein the aging pulse comprises a pulse amplitude of 500 V 8000 V;

whereby degradation of a current-voltage characteristic curve of the component by ESD pulses that occur during operation of the electrical component is reduced as a result of the applying the aging pulse.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical component comprises a linear resistor.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical component comprises a non-linear resistor.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one electrical parameter of the electrical component is modified by the aging pulse.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical component ages only slightly during operation after applying the aging pulse.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aging pulse comprises a pulse length of 10 ns to 1000 ns.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aging pulse comprises a rise time of 0.1 ns to 10 ns.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aging pulse comprises a pulse length of 10 ns to 1000 ns, and the aging pulse comprises a rise time of 0.1 ns to 10 ns.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aging pulse is applied to a varistor.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the varistor comprises a varistor voltage that is stabilized by the aging pulse.

11. An electrical component having physical characteristics based upon being pre-aged by application of an aging pulse, wherein degradation of a current-voltage characteristic curve of the component by ESD pulses that occur during operation of the electrical component is reduced, the electrical component having a maximum ESD degradation of the current-voltage characteristic curve of 1% after application of the aging pulse compared to an electrical component that is the same except for not having been pre-aged by application of the aging pulse.

12. The electrical component according to claim 11 , wherein the electrical component is a varistor.

13. The electrical component according to claim 11 , wherein the electrical component is a PTC element.

14. The electrical component according to claim 11 , wherein the electrical component is an NTC element.

15. The electrical component according to claim 11 , wherein the electrical component has physical characteristics based upon being pre-aged by application of an aging pulse that has a pulse amplitude of 500 V to 8000 V, a pulse length of 10 ns to 1000 ns, and a rise time of 0.1 ns to 10 ns.

16. A method for increasing ESD pulse stability of an electrical component, the method comprising:

generating a pulse by a pulse generator; and

applying the pulse to the electrical component;

wherein the generated pulse with a shape such that the electrical component is pre-aged by energy input by the pulse, but the electrical component is not damaged by said energy; and

wherein degradation of a current-voltage characteristic curve of the component by ESD pulses that occur during operation of the electrical component is reduced as a result of the applied pulse.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the pulse comprises a pulse amplitude of 500 V to 8000 V, a pulse length of 10 ns to 1000 ns, and a rise time of 0.1 ns to 10 ns.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the pulse comprises a pulse amplitude of 500 V to 8000 V.

19. A method for pre-aging an electrical component, the method comprising:

applying an aging pulse generated by a pulse generator to the electrical component, wherein the aging pulse comprises a pulse amplitude of 500 V to 8000 V, a pulse length of 10 ns to 1000 ns, and a rise time of 0.1 ns to 10 ns.