Development of a 60 Hz Power Standard using SNS Programmable Josephson Voltage Standards

Published

April 7, 2008

Author(s)

Charles J. Burroughs, Samuel Benz, Paul Dresselhaus, Yonuk Chong, Bryan C. Waltrip, Thomas L. Nelson, J. Williams, D. Henderson, P. Patel, Luis Palafox, Ralf Behr

Abstract

We are implementing a new standard for 60 Hz power based on precision sinusoidal reference voltages from two independent Programmable Josephson Voltage Standards (PJVS) (one for voltage and one for current). The NIST PJVS systems use series arrays of Josephson junctions to produce accurate, quantum-based dc voltages. Using step-wise approximation synthesis, the PJVS systems produce sinewaves with precisely calculable rms voltage and spectral content. We present measurements and calculations that elucidate sources of error in the rms voltage that are intrinsic to the digital synthesis technique and that are due to the finite rise times and transients that occur when switching between the discrete voltages. Our goal is to reduce all error sources and uncertainty contributions from the PJVS-synthesized waveforms to be a few parts in 107, so that the overall uncertainty in the ac power standard will be a few parts in 10^6.

Citation

IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement

Volume

56

Issue

2

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

AC measurements, Josephson arrays, Josephson devices, Josephson voltage standard

Citation

Burroughs, C. , Benz, S. , Dresselhaus, P. , Chong, Y. , Waltrip, B. , Nelson, T. , Williams, J. , Henderson, D. , Patel, P. , Palafox, L. and Behr, R. (2008), Development of a 60 Hz Power Standard using SNS Programmable Josephson Voltage Standards, IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=32393 (Accessed October 9, 2025)