Sensitive Method for the Measurement of Nonlinearity of Electrical Conduction

Abstract

If an ac potential V=V₀ (cosωt+cos2ωt) is applied to an element whose current‐voltage relationship can be expressed as I=aV+bV²+cV³+…, there will be a dc component of the current proportional to the coefficient c. Equations are developed and apparatus is described for using this fact to measure deviations from Ohm's law. Experimental results are presented which show that the method and apparatus are capable of measuring these deviations at least down to one part in 10⁸.