High Grade Dielectric Analyzer• Self­sufficient analyzer for frequency­dependentmeasurements without compromises• Ultra­wide requency range: 3 µHz ... 40 MHz• Ultra­wide impedance range: 10 mΩ ... 100 TΩ,
covered in one single measurement set­up• Highest phase resolution of 0.001° to capture eventhe smallest losses in materials (tan δ > 3×10­5)• Fast data acquisition rate: 60 ms/point• Optionally 1.7 ms/point in direct mode
• User­performed and software­assisted automatic
self calibration and diagnosis compensates longterm internal drift and verifies functionality.
• Harmonics measurements to analyze non­linearity
effects• High level command set for easy programming• Powerful DETACHEM software package for turnkey
applications

Novocontrol Technologies
GmbH & Co. KG
Aubachstr. 156410 Montabaur
Germany
Phone: +49 2602 9196690
Fax:+49 2602 91966933
e­mail: novo@novocontrol.de
web: http://www.novocontrol.de

ALPHAALPHANOVOCONTROLThe fastest route to new materials
The Novocontrol ALPHA broadband dielectric∕ impe­
dance analyzer provides access to the full electricalcharacaterisation of materials and devices. Complex
parameters like impedance, admittance, permittivity,conductivity, are easily accessible with ultra­high preci­sion and accuracy.
Electrical impedance measurements on materials ana­lyze the property to store and transfer electrical charge.
Materials properties are analyzed in terms of complex
properties, e.g., the permittivity ε or conductivity σ. In thepermittivity representation, δ denotes the phase angle
between its imaginary and real parts, and tan δ=ε''/ε' re­presents dielectric loss.
When it comes to low­loss materials, the crucial proper­
ty of a frequency response analyzer is its phase resolu­
tion. In this respect, the ALPHA offers unsurpassed per­formance, i.e., a very high phase resolution of less than
0.001°, equivalent to a tan δ resolution of 10­5.
Ultra­Wide Impedance Range
The ALPHA broadband dielectric analyzer offers a uni­que measurement solution which covers up to sixteen
decades of impedance. Values between 10 mΩ and100 TΩ are determined continuously, i.e., without chan­ging the setup. The ALPHA series analyzers (models
differ in their maximum frequency) are thus capable tofully characterize a wide range of materials spreadingfrom the best insulators to good conductors.
Ultra­High Phase Resolution
In order to reach ultimate accuracy, especially with re­spect to low­loss materials, the ALPHA uses a particularreference technique. For each selec­
ted frequency, the measured sample
impedance is compared to the measu­
red impedance of a precision low­loss
reference capacitor. The reference
measurement eliminates all linear sys­
tematic deviations from the sample im­pedance. This technology, in combina­
tion with a straightforward digital de­sign, achieves the highest level of ac­
curacy required for materials analysis,
particularly for broadband spectrosco­
py of low­loss dielectrics.

Alpha
Specifications:
RangesFrequency: 3 µHz ... 40 MHz (13.1 decades)*Impedance: 10­2 .. 1014 Ω (16 decades)
Capacitance: 1 fF ... 10 F (16 decades)
Loss factor tan(δ): 10­5 .. 104
AC signal out: 100 µV .. 3 Vrms
DC bias out: ­40 VDC .. +40 VDC, 70 mA max**
Signal generator output impedance: 50 ΩVoltage input: < ± 4.3 Vp dc or ac coupled
Base Accuracy
Relative Impedance, Relative Capacity,
Loss factor tan(δ):< 3.10­5 ***Phase Angle: < 0.002° ***Resolution
Relative Impedance, Relative Capacity,
Loss factor tan(δ):< 10­5Phase Angle: < 0.0006°
User Calibrations
load, short, open, internal self calibration anddiagnostics
System Interface: GPIB/IEEE488* for the top­model ALPHA­T** requires dc bias option B of the ALPHA*** for details refer to specification charts

Harmonics Analysis
In general, the electrical behavior ofmaterials is expected to be linear. So­me materials, however, exhibit an int­
rinsic non­linear behavior or are delibe­
rately made non­linear for certain pur­poses or applications. The ALPHAanalyzes higher harmonics of suchmaterials by complex Fourier transfor­
mation. This opens the way to a new The imaginary part of the permittity, ε', of glycerole, measured withrange of experiments, known as non­li­ the ALPHA analyzer. Temperatures from ­80 °C to 20 °C in 5 °C steps;
peak positions shift to higher frequency with increasing temperature.
near spectroscopy.