Tektronix TCPA300 SERIES, Instruction Manual

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Glossary
Glossary- 2
TCPA300/400 Amplifiers and TCP300/400 Series Current Probes Instruction Manual
Hall device
A thin, rectangular piece of semiconductor material located in the core of the
current probe. The Hall device uses the Hall effect for DC and low-frequency
AC measurements.
Hall effect
The effect that produces a voltage potential in the Hall device when magnetic
lines of force pass through the device. The voltage potential is directly
proportional to the the magnetic field strength. The voltage polarity is
determined by the magnetic field polarity. A bias supply is required to
produce the Hall effect. The TCP300 and TCP400 Series current probes use
the Hall effect for DC and low-frequency AC measurements.
insertion impedance
The equivalent series impedance introduced to a test circuit when the current
probe is clamped around a test conductor.
magnetic susceptibility
A figure expressing the amount of current induced into the probe by an
external magnetic field of known intensity. The lower the figure is, the less
the probe is influenced by external magnetic fields.
saturation
A condition that occurs when the magnetic field strength in the probe core
exceeds the maximum level that the core can absorb. When saturation occurs
the probe no longer responds linearly to an increase in magnetic field
strength, resulting in measurement inaccuracies. A current overload
condition will cause core saturation. After saturation occurs, the probe core
usually retains residual magnetism, which continues to produce inaccuracies
until the probe is degaussed. The probe should be degaussed after saturation
occurs.