Apparatus for measuring high frequency currents

• US 6,566,854 B1
• Filed: 09/12/2000
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Government of the United States of America), State of Florida Board of Regents
• Original Assignee: Florida International University (State University System of Florida), United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Inventors: Hagmann, Mark J., Sutton, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuneo; Kamand
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOBERT, RUSSELL MARC
• Application Number:
  US09/646,161
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 324/117 R,127,318,130,129,961,117 H,106,442 323/357
• US Class Current: 324/117.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/183 using transformers with a magnetic core
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/0857 Dosimetry, i.e. measuring the time integral of radiation intensity; Level warning devices for personal safety use nuclear radiation dosimetry G01T

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring high frequency currents includes a non-ferrous core current probe that is coupled to a wide-band transimpedance amplifier. The current probe has a secondary winding with a winding resistance that is substantially smaller than the reactance of the winding. The sensitivity of the current probe is substantially flat over a wide band of frequencies. The apparatus is particularly useful for measuring exposure of humans to radio frequency currents.

Claims

1. Apparatus for measuring high frequency currents flowing through an object, comprising:

a non-ferrous core current probe having a secondary winding with a secondary winding resistance and a secondary winding reactance such that the secondary winding resistance is substantially smaller than the secondary winding reactance from a low operative frequency to a high operative frequency; and

a wide-band transimpedance amplifier circuit coupled to the secondary winding and adapted to amplify currents provided by the secondary winding so that the sensitivity of the current probe is substantially flat from the low operative frequency to the high operative frequency.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the high operative frequency is at least one hundred times greater than the low operative frequency.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the low operative frequency is less than or equal to about 400 KHz and the high operative frequency is greater than or equal to about 120 MHz.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the current probe has a toroidal shape.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the current probe is made primarily of flexible materials.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the secondary winding is made of a low resistivity wire.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the secondary winding is made of a low resistivity film.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the secondary winding has a substantially constant resistance from at least the low operative frequency to at least the high operative frequency.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the winding is made of a material having a substantially constant resistivity over temperature.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transimpedance amplifier comprises a balanced differential input.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transimpedance amplifier comprises at least one operational amplifier.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transimpedance amplifier uses at least some positive feedback.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transimpedance amplifier comprises a plurality of selectable gain resistors.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the current probe further comprises a shield surrounding and electrically separated from the secondary winding.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the shield is made of a high resistivity material.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the shield is made of a low resistivity material.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the shield is made substantially of metal.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the shield is made substantially of aluminum.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the shield is made substantially of a flexible material.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the shield further comprises a gap extending substantially along the length of the shield.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a feedback winding adapted to cancel at least some of the impedance of the secondary winding.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a voltage controlled current source circuit coupled to the transimpedance amplifier circuit and providing a feedback current to the feedback winding.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the voltage controlled current source is in a Howland configuration.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the voltage controlled current source provides a floating differential output.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the voltage controlled current source comprises at least one operational amplifier.