VA-10 – Voltammetry/Amperometry

About VA-10

The VA-10X is a sensitive (picoampere range) current amplifier that is intended for voltammetric measurements with carbon-fiber microelectrodes in biological systems, where the total currents do not exceed a few tens of nA.
It was designed at the Max-Planck-Institute for Experimental Medicine in Göttingen as an economically priced alternative to do-it-yourself systems and expensive commercial systems.
It can be used for either DC amperometry using the built-in voltage source, or it can be operated with user-supplied external voltage waveforms (e.g. for cyclic voltammetry).
The VA-10X is ideally suited for measurements from single cells plated onto glass cover slips and with carbon-fiber disk electrodes having diameters of 10 µM or less. npi recommends ALA CFE-2 carbon fiber electrodes. However, it can also be used for measurements made on superficially located cells in tissue slices.
The standard VA-10X is not recommended for use in in-vivo recordings with carbon-fiber electrodes having long cylindrical measuring surfaces, because in this case currents approach the µA range. Ask npi electronic for headstages with different feedback resistors.
Optionally, the VA-10X can be equipped with a frequency booster in order to enhance the bandwidth to several kHz.

The VA-10 is also available as module for the EPMS-07 system.

Features

Features:

Optional frequency booster for recording very fast signals
Filter settings from 20 Hz to 20 kHz in sixteen steps, 4-pole or 8-pole Bessel filter (1-pole filter on request)
3-electrode headstage for a floating command potential available
Gain settings from 0.5 to 50 mV / pA in seven steps
Precise built-in voltage source for DC amperometry (+/- 1000 mV standard, +/- 2000 mV optional)
Low noise, works in picoampere range
Ideally suited for recordings from single cells
Can be operated with external waveforms for cyclic voltammetry
Telegraph outputs for easy interfacing to data acquisition systems
Applications:
- Allows simultaneous electrophysiological recordings during voltammetric or amperometric investigations using headstages with differential inputs
- Can be used in scaning electrochemical microscopy
- Also suitable for lipid bilayer recordings

Use with 5 µm carbon fiber electrodes (ALA-CFE-2)

Also available as module for the EPMS-07 system.

Ordering

Part no.	Description
VA-10X-8	Amplifier for voltammetry and amperometry with 8-pole BESSEL filter
VA-10-FB	Frequency Booster for enhancement of the bandwidth
VA-HS3	Differential (3-Electrode) headstage for VA-10 amplifier
VA-CFE	Carbon Fiber electrodes, 5 µm diameter, using the Anodic Electrophoretic Deposition of Paint (EDP) method
VA-CFE-H-BNC	CFE holder for headstages with BNC connector
VA-CFE-H-AXU	CFE holder for AXON amplifier

Technical Data

HEADSTAGE	Input voltage range: ±1200 mV Operating voltage: ±12 V Enclosure: Size: 40 x 70 x 20 mm, driven shield (COMMAND potential) Mounting plate: 50 x 70 mm, not conducting Electrode connector:driven shield (COMMAND potential) Ground connector: 1 mm connector (black) Driven shield output: 1 mm connector (red) Input resistance: >10¹³ Ω Current range: ±20 nA Feedback resistor: 500 MΩ
OUTPUTS	Impedance: 250 Ω FILTERED: BNC connector, sensitivity selectable with GAIN switch, FILTERED with LP Bessel FILTER UNFILTERED: BNC connector, sensitivity selectable with GAIN switch
INPUTS	Resistance: 1 MΩ
VOLTAGE SOURCE	COMMAND VOLTAGE set by 10-turn potentiometer, range: (1000 mV, polarity selectable with polarity switch (+, 0, -), display XXXX mV COMMAND VOLTAGE: INPUT BNC connector, sensitivity: /10, also displayed
LP FILTER	8-pole Bessel FILTER 16 corner frequencies: 20, 50, 100, 200, 300 500, 700, 1k, 1.3k, 2k, 3k, 5k, 8k, 10k, 13k, 20k Hz.
NOISE	<1 pA
GAIN	7-position rotary switch (x0.5, x1, x2.5, x5, x10, x25, x50 mV / pA)
POWER REQUIREMENTS	115/230 V AC, 60/50 Hz, fuse 0.4/0.2 A, slow.
DIMENSIONS	19″ rackmount cabinet, 19″ (483 mm), 10″ (250 mm), 3.5″ (88 mm)

Downloads

Manuals	VA-10X manual
Brochure	VA-10 Series

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