By submitting this form, you are agreeing to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
An envelope detector is a type of demodulator used for amplitude modulation (AM) or double-sideband suppressed carrier (DSBSC) signals. It works by rectifying and filtering the signal to retain only its amplitude variations.
In AM signals, important signal information, such as audio, is encoded in differences in signal amplitude over time. An envelope detector is used to strip out these signal characteristics and reduce the signal to a straightforward representation of amplitude over time.
Envelope detectors are commonly found in radio communications, specifically for demodulation of AM signals. After the carrier wave has been mixed down to a lower frequency, the envelope detector processes the resulting passband signal.
The detector typically includes an envelope-selective rectifier to produce a rectified version of the signal and a low-pass filter to reject remaining carrier and other high-frequency components, producing an envelope response that accurately follows variations in signal amplitude over time.
Key elements of the detector include the diode, filter, and operational amplifier (op-amp) used in its design. The diode rectifies the input signal, creating a voltage drop proportional to the signal’s amplitude, while the filter removes any remaining high-frequency harmonics and noise.
The op-amp controls the voltage gain of the detector and can be used to adjust its gain and introduce additional filtering. The output of the detector is then ready for further processing, including equalisation, filtering, and amplification.
Envelope detectors have several advantages, including the elimination of the carrier wave, improved signal-to-noise ratio, better separation of signal and noise, and improved modulation depth. Additionally, their low-cost, low-power design makes them suitable for use in portable radios and other compact electronic equipment.
While they are often used in AM radio receivers, envelope detectors can also be applied to any type of amplitude-modulated signal.
The Global Envelope Detector market accounted for $XX Billion in 2022 and is anticipated to reach $XX Billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of XX% from 2023 to 2030.
The ADL6012 Fast Envelope Detector (2-67GHz, 500MHz BW) from Analogue Devices Inc. combines a quick 0.6ns rise time with a large 500MHz envelope bandwidth. Because of these features, the device can be used for a variety of tasks, including high-resolution pulse (radar) detection, transmitter local oscillator (LO) leakage corrections, and wideband envelope tracking.
Throughout a broad frequency range, the ADL6012 provides remarkably steady temperature performance. The device’s detection range, which spans from 2GHz to 67GHz, often experiences temperature drift of less than 1dB of inaccuracy. Because of this, the gadget works well in applications that have a wide temperature range.The ADL6012 is RoHS compliant and comes in a small 3 x 2 mm Lead Frame Chip Scale Package (LFCSP).
