Accurate measurements over wide parameter ranges

The SI units of physical quantities can be accurately realized and reproduced. The application of macroscopic quantum effects is an option for a highly improved reproduction of units. However, the measurement uncertainty over wide scale ranges easily can become unacceptably high. Proving traceability which is a general demand in establishing quality management systems according to ISO 9000, may then become a very difficult task. This is of particular significance to industrial metrology and research where multiples and submultiples of the respective SI units occur. Typical examples of this in the characterization of electrical insulation are gigaohm, megavolt, micrometer, nanoampere or even picocoulomb. The evaluation and improvement of the measurement accuracy on scales are therefore topical research subjects in metrology.