Evidence for universality of tunable-barrier electron pumps

We review recent precision measurements on semiconductor tunable-barrier electron pumps operating in a ratchet mode. Seven studies on five different designs of pumps have reported measurements of the pump current with relative total uncertainties around 10-6 or less. Combined with theoretical models of electron capture by the pumps, these experimental data exhibits encouraging evidence that the pumps operate according to a universal mechanism, independent of the details of device design. Evidence for robustness of the pump current against changes in the control parameters is at a more preliminary stage, but also encouraging, with two studies reporting robustness of the pump current against three or more parameters in the range of ∼5 × 10-7 to ∼2 × 10-6. This review highlights the need for an agreed protocol for tuning the electron pump for optimal operation, as well as more rigorous evaluations of the robustness in a wide range of pump designs

Best practice guide for the assessment of EMF exposure from vehicle Wireless Power Transfer systems

open11sì(Editors: Roberta Guilizzoni, Stuart Harmon, Mauro Zucca)This document is based on the experience gained by the partners involved in the EMPIR Project 16ENG08 "Metrology for inductive charging of electric vehicles (MICEV)" (www.micev.eu). The project addressed the electromagnetic metrology and human exposure problems related to inductive charging of electric vehicles, both from a modelling and a measurement point of view. The guidelines reported here are designed for people who approach the assessment of human exposure in vehicles and around inductive charging stations. These guidelines are intended to complement the published standards in use and those currently being developed by international technical organisations and bodies. This document concerns the charging of electric vehicles, for transmitted power up to 200 kW. The frequency range of interest is related to resonant coils that produce significant electromagnetic field (EMF) emissions from the charging station. Resonant coils operate in the frequency range between 20 kHz and 85 kHz. Their electric current, and thus the magnetic field and harmonic distortion, is very low and not significant in relation to human exposure guidelines. Consequently, the frequency range of interest for human exposure does not exceed 100 kHz. This guide seeks to assemble the experience gained in the field of human exposure assessment and to provide information for the assessment of exposure through experimental measurements and validated calculations. The calculation of the induced quantities, in particular the induced electric field and electric currents in the tissues, is of fundamental importance for the determination of human exposure. From the point of view of dosimetry, for obvious reasons of feasibility, the calculation replaces the measurement. Therefore, a whole chapter of this guide covers the choice of instruments and the description of the correct settings for both the magnetic field calculations and the dosimetric calculations. The document particularly focuses on the following challenges: • the testing framework, including the common layout of charging stations, with reference to the normative and EU Directive on magnetic field exposure (Sections 4 to 6); • means and methods to perform: o measurements of the magnetic flux density in and around a vehicle; o measurements of limb currents (Section 7); • means and methods to perform: o analytical calculation of magnetic flux density levels for EMF exposure assessment; o computation of the induced electric fields in human beings (Section 8). The guidelines contain some appendices, which include the following: a real example of a charging station; some tables with the exposure limits referred to in this guide; a brief comparison between two existing standards; a test case of a numerical code to calculate the sources; some results on the sensitivity of simulated exposure metrics to the variations in tissue properties and, finally, the measurement capabilities of European national metrological institutes concerning AC magnetic fields at the frequency range of interest for Wireless Power Transfer systems (WPTs). These guidelines do not intend to discuss the implementation of wireless charging systems, the design of their components or the optimisation of their performance, as they do not discuss the interoperability or the techniques for building the systems, or their classification. Risk analysis and mitigation measures are beyond the scope of this guideopenAnkarson, Peter; Bottauscio, Oriano; Clarke, Bob; Freschi, Fabio; Guilizzoni, Roberta; Harmon, Stuart; Laporta, Erika; Pichon, Lionel; Bruna Romero, Jorge; Zilberti, Luca; Zucca, MauroAnkarson, Peter; Bottauscio, Oriano; Clarke, Bob; Freschi, Fabio; Guilizzoni, Roberta; Harmon, Stuart; Laporta, Erika; Pichon, Lionel; Bruna Romero, Jorge; Zilberti, Luca; Zucca, Maur

An uncertainty budget for the precursor Watt balance for South Africa

The 26th General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) held on the 16th November 2018 has adopted the revision of the International system of units (SI) to be based on the fundamental physical constants

An accurate high-speed single-electron quantum dot pump

Using standard microfabrication techniques, it is now possible to construct devices that appear to reliably manipulate electrons one at a time. These devices have potential use as building blocks in quantum computing devices, or as a standard of electrical current derived only from a frequency and the fundamental charge. To date, the error rate in semiconductor 'tuneable-barrier' pump devices, those which show most promise for high-frequency operation, have not been tested in detail. We present high-accuracy measurements of the current from an etched GaAs quantum dot pump, operated at zero source-drain bias voltage with a single ac-modulated gate at 340 MHz driving the pump cycle. By comparison with a reference current derived from primary standards, we show that the electron transfer accuracy is better than 15 parts per million. High-resolution studies of the dependence of the pump current on the quantum dot tuning parameters also reveal possible deviations from a model used to describe the pumping cycle