Refinements in Precision Kilovolt Pulse Measurements

This paper describes techniques for reducing errors encountered in measuring the amplitude of 100-300 kV pulses which are a few microseconds in length. The accuracy to which such measurements can be made depends, for the most part, on how precisely the behavior of the voltage dividing network is known. Problems due to stray reactances, temperature, voltage effects, dielectric and dimensional instabilities, losses, improper terminations, and external circuitry are dealt with, with particular emphasis on capacitive voltage dividers. Also described briefly are an ultrastable laboratory standard divider, calibration techniques, and measuring instrumentation.