[volt-nuts] Poll

[Andreas Jahn]

Hello Frank,

>I would like to emphasize, what Bill wrote, i.e. use a 2nd inner shield, 
>completely around the LTZ circuitry.
>This also helps to thermally stabilize the circuitry, just put some foamed 
>polstyrene inside the inner box

Thats what I have already planned but with the polystyrene around the inner 
Box.
within the box will be difficult since there isnt much room left.

>Use separate grounds for supply and analogue signal.
ok.

>More compact metal foil resistors, (<1ppm/K typ.) as in the HP 3458A 
>design, would be preferred.

Thats what I have planned for the 2nd build. I have already the 120R and the
1K resistor as Z201. But its difficult for me to get some Z201 resistors 
with 70K or 12K4.
If  I can't get them, I will have to build them from 25K and 20K resistors.

>I replaced the diode at the output of the OpAmp (OP07) of the Linear Device 
>schematic by an ordinary npn, to reduce the load on the OpAmp and to have a 
>low impedance output stage.

I have planned a J-FET since the negative gate voltage will help to get a
better stabilisation of the Zener current even with low battery voltage.

>If you did not yet order the LTZ, I suggest to get the LTZ1000, not the A 
>type.

Too late: it took me around 12 weeks to get the A-Type.
But since my design is battery powered I thougt the A-Type could
help me to save some energy. I want to have at least about 40 hours
without recharging. My power supply voltage is only 14V so I fear
that the non A-Type may get to some heater limit.

>This allows to use the lowest stabilization temperature, around 45..50°C 
>for lowest drift, see Pickering patent and description of the Fluke 7000 
>reference.
Is this not possible with the A-type? I wanted to replace the 13K-Resistor
by a 12K4 to 12K5 resistor to get a lower temperature just shure
above 40 degrees celsius.

>So, please design a separate PCB for this, so that this could be shielded 
>separately, and can be updated later, if you encounter instabilities also.

By the way. Is the LTZ1000 more immune to mechanical stress
than references in plastic housings. Otherwise I fear that the
weight of the batteries which I have planned to fix on the
same PCB as the reference will get some influence on the
reference voltage. I have at least the possibility to put
a slot between the battery area and the LTZ-area.

>Anyhow, after 3/4 year of permanent operation of both LTZs, if I run them 
>against the 5442 and the 3458A (pimped to 65°C operation), all 4 standards 
>are within 1ppm or less. That gives me confidence that the LTZs really have 
>a drift of around 1ppm/year as stated in the data sheet. So I ignore the 
>glitches at the moment.

>Frank

The most interesting question for me is wether the LTZ-based
references have a output voltage change when changing the
orientation.
(see my tilt-effect post for the LM399 based Keitley 2000 instrument)

How do your references and the LTZ1000-based HP 3458A behave?

best regards

Andreas