Ultrastable low-noise current amplifiers with extended range and improved accuracy

The ultrastable low-noise current amplifier (ULCA) was developed as an advanced instrument for the improved measurement of currents generated by single-electron transport (SET) devices. It was optimized for direct currents in the picoampere range, and achieves an uncertainty of about 0.1 parts per million for a current of 100 pA, typically generated by SET pumps. This paper summarizes our efforts in extending the ULCA's current range and minimizing the measurement uncertainty over a wide range. The final goal is to obtain a universal instrument for measuring and generating direct currents between about 1 fA and 1 μA with unmatched accuracy.

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