I've looked all over trying to find the answer to this, so I figured I'd ask you guys.

This IC(http://www.zmdi.com/products/sensor-signal-conditioner/zsc31210/) is used to measure small changes in capacitance. In the description, it says that it can have resolution of:

..125aF/LSB to 1pF/LSB depending on the resolution, speed, and range settings...

Now I know that LSB is least significant bit, and pF is a picofarad (10E-12 farads), but what is aF?

 

Now I know that LSB is least significant bit, and pF is a picofarad (10E-12 farads), but what is aF?

Ambiguous?

The prefix "a" may stand for "atto," which is 10E-18. The aF would be one millionth of a picofarad. In between, is the femtofarad (fF). It seems odd that the femtofarad is not mentioned.

It could also mean that someone just forget to put a space between the indefinite article "a" and F as in, "10E9 nF would be a F."

John

 

Hello,

The a is indeed for atto.

See this list for all SI-prefixes:
http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/prefixes.html

There is a lot more information on the units on the main page of the site:
http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/

Bertus

 

As if there were a yoctodoubt about it.

John