Photoconductive-sampling voltage measurement
US6737853B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 18, 2001 |
| Grant date | May 18, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 18, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R13/347
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method of probing voltage comprises: establishing electrical connectivity between a conductor to be probed and a first terminal of a photoconductive switch; during a sampling interval n, applying a laser pulse to the photoconductive switch while applying a voltage to a second terminal of the photoconductive switch corresponding to a voltage sample taken during a prior sampling interval n−1, such that current flow through the photoconductive switch is dependent on any difference between voltage of the conductor and the applied voltage; converting the current flow to a voltage signal; passing the voltage signal during a gating interval and sampling the passed voltage signal to produce a voltage sample for the sampling interval n. A repetitive test pattern applied to the conductor and the sampling interval is synchronized with the repetitive test pattern. Converting the current flow to a voltage signal can comprise applying the current flow to a current-to-voltage converter having a rise time which is less than the gating interval. The voltage signal can be passed only during the gating interval so that the voltage sample is insensitive to any leakage through the photoconducti…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.