Light-Coupled Impulse-Peak Detector Using Pulse-Lengthener Circuit

An improved light-coupled impulse-peak detector has been developed employing a pulse-lengthener circuit in place of a wide-band oscilloscope used in the conventional peak detector. Besides advantages in equipment simplification and economy, the present peak detector permits precise measurements of the peak voltage of an impulse as narrow as 12 ns with a peak voltage range from +0.3 to +4.5 V.