NPL Calculable Capacitor

The NPL calculable cross capacitor is designed to provide a standard of the highest accuracy. It has a vertical axis and the length is determined by central guard tubes. The length is altered by axial displacement of the lower tube and the change is measured interferometrically. This paper describes the construction and performance of the capacitor and records the results of the initial measurements; the uncertainty of these is of the order of 10-7.