End-to-End Channel Gain Calibration

A measurement system must digitize a measured signal accurately. In a real-world measurement system, each component has some influence on the signal. The sensor sensitivity is a useful measurement. However, you can assume that any external cables pass the signal with zero attenuation, that all external amplifiers are set correctly and apply a precise amount of gain, and that the absolute gain of the data acquisition channel is specified with tolerances. Rather than quantify the gain of each component in the measurement system, you measure the gain of the entire measurement channel from end to end, or from sensor to digitization, which is more accurate and useful. You can achieve the most accurate measurements when you calibrate the sensor along with the specific cables, amplifier, and data acquisition channel where you use the sensor. Thus, you can factor the individual component gains into the calibrated sensor sensitivity.