Modern Instrumentation for Scientists and Engineers [electronic resource] /

Knowledge of instrumentation is for experimentalists a kind of fluency in the language of measurement. But it is a fluency not so commonly possessed, and without which much of the experimental process remains hidden and mysterious. The basic goal in writing this book is to provide a treatment of useful depth of the basic elements of the instrumentation "language," namely electronics, sensors, and measurement. The present epoch is arguably a golden age for instrumentation. The crucial ingredient has been the exceptional development of semiconductor fabrication technology, and this has led to the present richness in both analog and digital inte­ grated circuits. The former provide relatively inexpensive but high-performance electronic modules (such as the operational amplifier) which can serve as build­ ing blocks for more complex circuits, whereas the latter have culminated in the desktop computer, which has permeated modem life generally and revolu­ tionized the instrumentation world with its capacity to act as a measurement controller and data storage center. Finally, silicon micromachining is creating a host of new sensors for such quantities as acceleration and pressure.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Blackburn, James A. author., SpringerLink (Online service)
Format: Texto biblioteca
Language:eng
Published: New York, NY : Springer New York : Imprint: Springer, 2001
Subjects:Physics., Science., Physical measurements., Measurement., Measurement Science and Instrumentation., Science, general.,
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0103-5
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Description
Summary:Knowledge of instrumentation is for experimentalists a kind of fluency in the language of measurement. But it is a fluency not so commonly possessed, and without which much of the experimental process remains hidden and mysterious. The basic goal in writing this book is to provide a treatment of useful depth of the basic elements of the instrumentation "language," namely electronics, sensors, and measurement. The present epoch is arguably a golden age for instrumentation. The crucial ingredient has been the exceptional development of semiconductor fabrication technology, and this has led to the present richness in both analog and digital inte­ grated circuits. The former provide relatively inexpensive but high-performance electronic modules (such as the operational amplifier) which can serve as build­ ing blocks for more complex circuits, whereas the latter have culminated in the desktop computer, which has permeated modem life generally and revolu­ tionized the instrumentation world with its capacity to act as a measurement controller and data storage center. Finally, silicon micromachining is creating a host of new sensors for such quantities as acceleration and pressure.