very low Voltage measurement

Thread Starter

Lissajous

Joined May 17, 2006
9
For example I have a bench setup capable of measuring at the 0.5V range (resolution) and apparently I have to measure in the microvolt (or nano V ) range, how can I go about this? any work-around?
 

beenthere

Joined Apr 20, 2004
15,819
Hi,

Your test equipment is not too good if you only have .5 volt resolution. Any meters I can think of have better resolution that that - is this a school problem? Any $9.95 meter beats that resolution.

The quick cure is to spend some money on better metering. Kiethley makes some stuff that will easily go down to nanovolts, but the price will cross your eyes. For the microvolts range, any bench meter with 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 digits will easily get there.

If you're at a university, check with the physics department for an old galvanometer - they usually will show microamps. The really classy ones need a scale on the wall of the room. They project a bright spot with an index bar in it. When your meter deflects 90 degrees over an arc with a radius of 15 feet, it's extremey precise.
 

Thread Starter

Lissajous

Joined May 17, 2006
9
thanks for your reply, beenthere! will "interface circuits" work? how about ICs? are there such?

it's just something that crossed my mind while reading about test measurements......
 

Polgi-Wan

Joined Sep 26, 2005
11
are you talking about amplifier (or attenuating) ICs? maybe the idea is amplifying the microvolt value into such state where the 0.5V range can measure the value.
 
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