Coaxial Electrical Circuits for Interference-Free Measurements: (Materials, Circuits and Devices)

The authors have between them more than 60 years of experience in making electrical measurements in National Measurement Laboratories. These laboratories are the source of measurement standards and techniques for science and engineering and are dedicated to maintaining the international system of units (SI) by establishing and disseminating the values of measurement standards with the lowest possible uncertainty. Careful attention to detail is required in designing measurement systems that eliminate electrical interference and are as simple and as close to first principles as possible. This book draws on their experience by offering guidance and best practice for designing sensitive electrical measurement circuits. In particular the book describes examples that demonstrate the elegance, flexibility and utility of balanced-current coaxial networks in obtaining the ultimate in noise-matching and interference elimination for precise and accurate voltage, current and power measurements. It also updates an earlier book on coaxial AC bridges by including recent AC measurements of quantum Hall resistance to establish a primary quantum standard of impedance and by extending impedance measurements in general to higher frequencies.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Sources, detectors, cables and connectors Chapter 3: The concept of a low-frequency coaxial network Chapter 4: Impedance measurement Chapter 5: General principles of accurate impedance measurement Chapter 6: Impedance standards Chapter 7: Transformers Chapter 8: General considerations about impedance comparison networks Chapter 9: Bridges to measure impedance ratios Chapter 10: Application of interference-free circuitry to other measurements Appendices

About the Author :
Shakil Awan was born in Pakistan in 1971. After gaining his PhD he worked at the UK National Physical Laboratory from 1997-2007 on impedance measurements and MEMS sensors. He is currently working on MRI at Imperial College and graphene RF nanoelectronics at Cambridge University. Bryan Kibble was born in England in 1938. He received his DPhil from Oxford University in 1964 and worked at the UK National Physical Laboratory from 1967-98 on realising SI electrical units - the watt, farad, ohm and henry. Jürgen Schurr was born in Germany in 1962. After gaining his PhD from Wuppertal University in 1992 he worked on a G experiment at the University of Zurich. He joined the PTB in Braunschweig, Germany, in 1999 and has since been involved in AC quantum Hall effect research and impedance metrology.

Review :
'The book is written in a clear and accessible style, with considerable attention to constructional principles and techniques. I am convinced that it will serve as an important source of information for professionals using measuring instruments in various fields of science and technology, for designers of new measuring devices and, last but not least, for the staffs of metrological institutions and calibration laboratories. It can also be recommended as a course book for advanced courses on metrology of electrical quantities.' -- Jaroslav Bohacek 'It should appeal to degree-level physicists or electrical engineers who wish to make good electrical measurements or who are interested in discovering the limits of measurements in this field. Ideally this book should be read before starting either the design of a measurement system, or purchasing any parts of the system. By reading this book and understanding the principles expounded, a physicist or engineer will be in a much better position to ask awkward questions of equipment manufacturers and build an electrical measurement system which works, if not first time, then very soon afterwards.' -- Ian Robinson