Comparison of Multiple Methods for Obtaining PΩ Resistances with Low Uncertainties

Area of Science:

• Electrical Metrology
• Solid State Physics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Accurate calibration of currents below 1 picoampere (pA) is critical for advanced applications.
• Existing high resistance measurement capabilities need expansion to meet demands in semiconductor device characterization, single electron transport, and ion beam technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present and compare multiple methods for measuring resistances on the petaohm (PΩ) scale.
• To validate experimental measurements against theoretical calculations for high resistances.

Main Methods:

• Utilized potentiometry, dual source bridge measurements, and teraohmmeter usage for resistance determination.
• Generated and measured resistances of 1 PΩ, 10 PΩ, and 100 PΩ using wye-delta networks.
• Compared experimental results with theoretical predictions.

Main Results:

• Experimental values for 1 PΩ, 10 PΩ, and 100 PΩ resistances agreed with theoretical calculations within approximately 1%.
• Measurement uncertainties were estimated between 0.4%–4.8% for 1 PΩ, 2.8%–5.6% for 10 PΩ, and 4.4%–10.2% for 100 PΩ.

Conclusions:

• The presented methods provide reliable capabilities for high resistance determination on the PΩ scale.
• The study successfully demonstrated accurate measurement of ultra-high resistances essential for low-current calibration.