Extremely high insulation resistance GDT - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: leblanc
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2018, 03:15:53 pm
content: I am designing a transimpedance amplifier for a 0~100pA current measurement. The resistor in the feedback is going to be a 10GOhm resistor.When dealing with these high value resistors, care must be taken to make sure that there are no other paths such as leakage through devices or on the surface of the PCB. Special core/prepreg is used, solder mask is cleared in the area, special solder paste is used, surface contamination is cleaned, etc.I need to protect my op-amp input somehow. TVS/zeners have much too large leakage currents, so I've been thinking of using a gas discharge tube. Unfortunately, most of the ones I've been finding have 1~10GOhm insulation resistance. The leakage through these resistors is going to be much too large, my measurements are going to be way off.Do any of you know ofultra-high insulation resistance gas discharge tubes (~75VDC spark-over) or other transient protection strategies? It has to be large enough to accommodate a guard ring between the pads.Also, if you guys have anysuggestions for my feedback resistors, that would be pretty helpful. Ideally it'd be a 10% surface mount 10GOhm resistor, with a package large enough to accommodate a guard ring between the pads (i.e. 1206 or larger).Finally,I'll also be needing a capacitorin parallel with the feedback resistor to maintain stability. I'll be needing a 500fF in a package large enough to accommodate a guard ring between the pads.

author: Kleinstein
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2018, 03:49:37 pm
content: For the low leakage parts it might be a good idea to use THT parts and teflon isolated stand offs. Surface mount parts are not really suitable, even with guard rings.A 500 fF cap would be something like 5 mm of parallel (e.g. teflon) isolated wire, of just some air space. There are essential not 75 V sparc gaps - in air the minimum voltage is around 100 V. Neon lamps could be an option, if the wire spacing it large enough. This about the lowest voltage gas discharge part available. At essentially zero voltage, low leakage diodes like BAV199 are pretty good.

author: mark03
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2018, 04:13:51 pm
content: If the voltage across your input protection device is ~ zero, why does it need such high insulation resistance?

author: Karel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2018, 04:34:47 pm
content: "Gas Discharge Tube 75V 2500A (2.5kA) ±20% 2 Pole Through Hole 10GOhm"https://www.digikey.com/products/en?keywords=GTCA25-750M-R02-ND

author: CopperCone
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2018, 05:12:32 pm
content: If you need higher resistance then you need a good relay to isolate the gdt once the experiment is hooked up. It will always be better to do protection this way, just based on physics

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2018, 09:15:13 pm
content: What's your input device? If it's a low Ib CMOS opamp then a better strategy is to insert a resistor in series with its input pin to allow the input protection diodes to clamp within their safe current limits.

author: Damianos
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2018, 10:45:42 pm
content: From the datasheet of OPA128LM, that I have used:QuoteAn 1MOhm resistor from the source/feedback node to the Op-Amp input will protect it up to 300V.For sensitive nodes, use something like this:PTFE Insulated Terminals & Pins, forgetting the SMD components and lifting the Op-Amp input pin from the PCB.I don't know if polystyrene capacitors with such low values exist, but there is the solution of the TEFLON wires, mentioned earlier.

author: leblanc
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2018, 01:42:59 pm
content: I think you've all convinced me to stay away from surface mount. I'll go with through hole parts. I might do the PTFE terminals, I haven't decided yet.QuoteI'm using anADA4530. The bias current is very small, +/-20fA. It's a pretty fancy op-amp with a guard ring driver.I just found a post from a couple of years ago, there is some useful information here:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/picoammeter-design/I've also found a reference design by Renesas/Intersil in the CA3420 datasheet. Damianos, they seem to be doing exactly what you suggested (with the series resistor). I think I'll go with this strategy.As for the capacitor, what do you guys think ofFKP3D001002B00MD00? It's a polypropylene capacitor, 100pF, with insulation resistance >500GOhm. I had originally thought of using a polystyrene capacitor, but I didn't like the idea of something that would break down with IPA, especially when the surfaces here need to be kept clean. Then I thought of PTFE (Teflon) capacitors, but I couldn't find any parts that were suitable.I think I just won't use a gas discharge tube. I'll might use two ultra-low leakage diodes like ON Semi'sFJH1100, which have leakage of 3pA (or even CatalogicPAD1with a leakage of 1pA) between the input and the rails. Maybe the leakage currents will partially cancel out too.

author: Marco
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2018, 01:58:22 pm
content: The opamp has it's own bootstrapped diodes, don't bother. What's wrong with Mylar capacitors?

author: Kleinstein
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2018, 02:35:44 pm
content: Mylar caps have a considerably higher dielectric absorption so they can be a tricky.Not having the DA (e.g. in the board) is also a reason for not going to the PCB with the very sensitive part.The nice thing about polystyrene caps is that they are really low leakage as they are usually polystyrene all the way. PP caps tend to have a case from a different material and this way extra surface leakage.The ADA4530 is a fancy expensive part. For first tests a LMC6041 or similar could be good enough (though slow).

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2018, 03:46:49 pm
content: There's quite a lot of relevant information in this thread:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/picoammeter-design/