PRECISE MEASUREMENTS OF HIGH-VOLTAGE PULSES BY USING ELECTROOPTICAL EFFECT

A novel method of more precise measurements of high-voltage pulses has been proposed using a linear electro-optical effect. The increase in measurement precision has been obtained using multiple passes of a las er beam through a noncentrosymmetric nonlinear optics single crystal o f good optical quality whilst applying a nonhomogeneous electric field . Different crystalline materials, showing appropriate values of elect rooptical coefficients r(ijk),have been found to be applicable for hig hly! precise measurements of the high-voltage pulses. The maximum ampl itude of the high-voltage pulses can reach 20 MV ensuring an accuracy of about 0.2 V (i.e. 10(-8) of the measured value). The poise duration of about 10(-10) s can be registered. All these advantages of the pre sented method provide a powerful tool for technologists and metrology physicists. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.