Advanced Frequency ResponseAnalyzer for smart measurement

applicationsNovocontrol Technologies offers an advanced solution for theelectric/dielectric characterization of materials in a single mate-rials analysis system. The central idea is modularity: a mainframeALPHA-A analyzer is always combined with a test interface toform a measurement solution.

By variation of the test interface, the system provides instant ac-cess to all essential characterization methods, like, e.g., dielec-tric/impedance or conductivity spectroscopy, high voltage engi-neering, non-linear spectroscopy, electrochemical impedancespectroscopy, frequency response analysis. Switching to anothermethod is done in less than a minute, simply by exchanging in-terfaces. Access to a new method is thus as easy as adding anadditional test interface.

The combination of all your experiments in a single materialsanalysis system yields substantial gains in usability, accuracy andflexibility with significant cost savings. In addition, these systemsoffer a unique combination of wide frequency range (12.5 dec-ades), ultra-wide impedance range (up to 16 decades) and ex-tremely high loss factor resolution in a single unit.

This easy-to-use system, suitable for a virtually unlimited numberof applications on the same platform, offers superior functionalityand flexibility, increased throughput and improved results.

Advanced MainframeAnalyzer for new

measurement solutions

novocontrolnovocontrolTechnologiesTechnologiesNovocontrol TechnologiesGmbH & Co. KG

Obererbacher Strasse 956414 HundsangenGermanyPhone: +49 6435 - 96230Fax: +49 6435 - 962333e-mail novo@novocontrol.comwww http://www.novocontrol.com

KEY FEATURESBroad Frequency BandwidthDue to its extremely wide frequency range, theALPHA-A is ideally suited to analyze both slow andfast phenomena in materials. The DC resistance of amaterial, e.g., is usually extracted from the low fre-quency data, while molecular relaxations with relaxa-tion times in the nano second regime require highfrequency measurements.Glasses or polymers frequently show several relaxa-tions which differ in their relaxation times; others,like, e.g., ceramic conductors exhibit frequency-dependent features due to contributions of bulk, grainboundary, and electrode effects which may only beseparated if a rather wide frequency range is moni-tored. Coverage of a broad frequency bandwidth isthus a crucial feature of instruments used for thecharacterization of such phenomena.In a single instrument, the ALPHA-A covers frequen-cies from 3 Hz up to 40 MHz with an unlimited num-ber of frequency points per sweep.

Ultra-wide Impedance RangeThe combination of ALPHA-A and its test interfacesoffers a unique measurement solution that covers upto sixteen decades of impedance. With our standardinterfaces, e.g., values between 0.01 and 1014are determined continuously, i.e., without changingthe setup.The ALPHA-A based systems are thus capable tofully characterize a wide range of materials spreadingfrom insulators to metallic conductors.

Ultra-high Phase ResolutionElectrical impedance measurements on materialsanalyze the property to store and transfer electricalcharge.These properties are expressed, e.g., in the permittiv-ity and conductivity of a material. In the complex rep-resentation of permittivity, denotes the phase anglebetween its imaginary and real parts, and tan repre-sents dielectric loss.When it comes to low-loss materials, the crucialproperty of a frequency response analyzer is itsphase resolution. In this respect, the ALPHA-A offersunsurpassed performance, i.e., high phase resolutionof less than 0.001, equivalent to a tan resolution of10-5.

Noise RejectionThe ALPHA-A performs accurate digital correlation ofamplitude and phase variation of the excitation andresponse signals to achieve highly effective noiserejection.

Harmonics AnalysisIn general, the electrical behavior of materials is ex-pected to be linear. Some materials, however, exhibitan intrinsic non-linear behavior or are deliberatelymade non-linear for certain purposes or applications.The ALPHA-A analyzes higher harmonics of suchmaterials by complex Fourier transformation. Thisopens the way to a new range of experiments, knownas non-linear spectroscopy.

Auto ConfigurationOne key advantage of the modular system based onthe ALPHA-A mainframe is the large variety of avail-able test interfaces, each serving a particular meas-urement application.Upon connecting to the ALPHA-A, test interfaces areautomatically identified and their latest calibrationdata restored. It is thus not even necessary to recali-brate the system when switching test interfaces.To the outside world, the ALPHA-A and its attachedtest interface form a single unit. This unique featureensures a minimum of configuration effort whenchanging from one application to another.

Common Software PlatformWinDETA is the complete Windows-based softwaretoolkit to drive a comprehensive range of measuringtechniques. It comprises online graphics and post-analysis in various formats with overlays of meas-urement results for comparative studies.Presetting facilities allow pre-programmed test se-quences which run without user intervention. Systemcontrol, data acquisition and documentation areautomatically carried out by this software package.

Data TransferThe alphanumeric display of the ALPHA-A shows allrelevant measurement data such as initialization,calibration, measurement running, frequency, voltage,sample capacitance, sample resistance and tan .Simultaneously, all measurement data are transferredto a computer via the GPIB (IEEE 488) bus.

Ordering informationModel Frequency range Options

ALPHA-AL 3 Hz 300 kHz B (DC Bias 40 V/70 mA)F (fast measuring rate 6 ms/point (f > 200 Hz)

ALPHA-AK 3 Hz 3 MHz B (DC Bias 40 V/70 mA)F (fast measuring rate 6 ms/point (f > 200 Hz)

ALPHA-AN 3 Hz 20 MHz B (DC Bias 40 V/70 mA)F (fast measuring rate 6 ms/point (f > 200 Hz)

ALPHA-AT 3 Hz 40 MHz B (DC Bias 40 V/70 mA)F (fast measuring rate 6 ms/point (f > 200 Hz)

For information on test interfaces we refer to the relevant data sheets.