Chapter 3

Amplitude Modulation (AM)

Part 1
 Spectrum & Bandwidth
 Baseband vs. Passband
 Why to modulate? (Revisited Question)
 Types of carrier Modulations
 Types of Amplitude Modulation (AM)

1
 Parts:
DSBSC
1. Introduction, Baseband vs. Carrier Modulation.
2. Double Sideband Amplitude Modulation (DSBSC)
3. Generation of AM signals (Modulator Circuits)
DSB+C
4. Amplitude Modulation (AM): DSB with Carrier VSB
AM
5. Quadrate Amplitude Modulation: QAM Types
6. Side Band (SSB) Modulation of AM
7. Vestigial Side Band (VSB)
8. Carrier Acquisition

SSB QAM

2
Spectrum & Bandwidth
 Spectrum
 Range of frequencies contained in a signal
 Absolute bandwidth
 Width of spectrum Absolute bandwidth

 Effective bandwidth
 Often called just bandwidth
 Band of frequencies containing most of the energy
( = 3 bandwidth= half power)
 DC Component
 Component of zero frequency

3
Baseband vs Passband Transmission
 Baseband signals:
 Voice (0 − 4 )
 TV (0 − 6 )
 A signal may be sent in its baseband
format when a dedicated wired channel
is available.
 Otherwise, it must be converted to
passband.

4
Modulation: What and Why?
 The process of shifting the baseband signal to passband range is called Modulation.
 The process of shifting the passband signal to baseband frequency range is called
Demodulation.
 Reasons for modulation:
1. Simultaneous transmission of several signals (FDM)
2. Practical Design of Antennas (Antenna length )
3. Propagation characteristics are different at different frequencies. (low frequency penetrates
walls)
4. Exchange of power and bandwidth

5
Types of (Carrier) Modulation
= (2 + ) ( )⇔ ( ).

 In modulation, one characteristic of a signal (generally a

sinusoidal wave) known as the carrier is changed based on
the information signal that we wish to transmit (modulating
signal).

 Amplitude modulation (AM),

 Angle Modulation
 Phase modulation (PM),
 Frequency modulation (FM).

Note: the word modulation is also used for its English meaning without shifting frequencies,
like in PAM, PWM,PPM, PCM, DM which are all baseband signals to be discussed later
6
Types of Amplitude Modulation (AM)
= (2 + ) ( )⇔ ( )
=0 (or 2p / )
 Double Sideband with Carrier (we will call it AM)
 The most widely used type of AM modulation. In fact, all radio DSBSC
channels in the AM band use this type of modulation.
 Double Sideband Suppressed Carrier (DSBSC)
 Same as the AM modulation above but without the carrier. VSB
DSB+C
AM
 Single Sideband (SSB) Types
 Only half of the signal of the DSBSC is used. of AM
 Vestigial Sideband (VSB)
 A modification of the SSB to ease the generation and reception of the
signal. SSB QAM
 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM)
 Two signals are amplitude modulated on one carrier, with one signals
is in quadrature phase shift with the other. 7
Part 2:
Double Sideband Suppressed Carrier (DSBSC)
Modulation

Outline:

• Def. DSBSC
• Modulation:
• In time
• In frequency
• Demodulation:
• In time
• In frequency
• Examples

8
DSBSC Modulation
 Message signal ( ) with bandwidth (or 2p / ).

( ) ⇔ ( ).
 Let ( ) be a carrier signal, ( ) = cos(2 ), ≫

= cos 2 Û [ ( – ) + ( + )].

( ) X
DSBSC Modulator (transmitter)
( )
9
Time and Frequency Representation of DSBSC
Modulation Process

Bandwidth 2
USB: Upper Sideband (above )
LSB: Lower sideband (below )
To avoid overlap of the frequency spectrum,
and ( ) can be recovered,
>
10
DSBSC Demodulation ( )
( )
X BW=
 = ( ) × cos c
• = ( ) cos2( )
( )
• = 1 + cos 2
DSBSC Demodulator (receiver)
• = + cos(2 )

 Û + [ ( –2 ) + ( + 2 )].
 The output signal ( ) of the LPF will be
1 1
( ) = ( )⇔ ( ).
2 2

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Time and Frequency Representation
of DSBSC Demodulation Process

12
 ( )
2 2
Example (DSBSC Dual Tone Modulation)

 A modulating signal ( ) is given by

−30 −20 20 30
= 2 cos 20 + cos 30
( )
1 1
 Sketch the spectrum of ( )
1 1
 Sketch the spectrum of the DSB-SC signal 2 cos 100 2 2
 See similar example in the book
15 10 10 15
− −
50
= 100 = 2
= + + ( − )
2
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2

65 60 40 35 35 40 60 65
− − − −
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Practice:
 A 100 kHz carrier cos(2 ⋅ 10 ⋅ ) is amplitude-modulated (DSBSC) by a signal ( ) given as:
( ) = 20 ⋅ cos(2 ⋅ 10 ⋅ ) + 16 ⋅ cos(4 ⋅ 10 ⋅ )
 What frequencies are contained in the resultant modulated signal?
 Sketch the frequency spectrum of the resultant signal.

Frequencies in resultant modulated signal:

± 1 , ± 2 , or more precisely:
98, 99, 101, 102 [ ].

You can also sketch the double sided spectrum (magnitudes will be reduced to 5
& 4. You may also use the radian frequency and all deltas will be scaled by 2π.

14
Part 3:
Generation of AM signals (Modulator Circuits)

Outline:

• Introduction
1) Multiplier Circuits
2) Non-Linear Circuits
3) Switching Circuits
a) Diode-bridge
b) Ring Modulator
• Demodulation of DSBSC

15
Modulator Circuits
 The function of a modulator is:
Multiplying a signal with a carrier

 There are three realizations of this operation:

1. Multiplier Circuits
2. Non-Linear Circuits ( ) Multiplication
X
3. Switching Circuits
1. Diode-bridge
2. Ring Modulator ( )

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1. Multiplier Modulators
( )
 Uses a variable-gain amplifier:
 Gain parameter is
cos( )
 Input is the carrier

 Direct multiplication used to be undesirable for two main reasons:

 Expensive
 Linearity problems
 Now it is not an issue with advances in electronics

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2. Non-Linear Devices (NLD)
 A NLD is a device whose input-output relation is non-linear. One such example is the
/
diode ( = ).
 The output of a NLD can be expressed as a power series of the input, that is
( ) = ( ) + 2( ) + 3( ) + …

 When ( ) << , the higher powers can be neglected, and the output can be
approximated by the first two terms.
 When the input ( ) = ( ) + ( ),
 2( ) will have the product term ( ) ( )

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2. Non-Linear Modulators
The following block diagram is a simpler DSBSC modulator, where the non–linear device has
( ) = ( ) + 2( ) + 3( ) + …

, , … . = 0 and = 1

= + ( ) = +2 + ( ) =2

Exercise: verify that this system is able to do DSBSC modulation

However, this system can be used for demodulation only if the magnitude of the message signal is
significantly small such that the square of that signal is much lower (and therefore can be ignored)
than the magnitude of the message signal.
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 This circuit is single
2. Non-Linear Modulators balanced modulator. It is
balanced for the carrier as
no carrier term appears at
the input to the BPF.
Double balanced modulator
exists where only the
product term appears at the
input to the BPF.

= + = cos 2 + y1 (t )  acos(C t )  m(t )  bcos(C t )  m(t )

2

= − = cos 2 − ( )
 a cos(C t )  am(t )  bm 2 (t )  2bm(t )  cos(C t )  b cos 2 (C t )
b b
 am(t )  bm 2 (t )  2bm(t )  cos(C t )  a cos(C t )   cos(2C t )
    2 2 
= − Undesired Undesired Desired Undesired  
Undesired Undesired

2 4 cos(2 ) y2 (t )  acos(C t )  m(t )  bcos(C t )  m(t )

2
= +
 a cos(C t )  am(t )  bm 2 (t )  2bm(t )  cos(C t )  b cos 2 (C t )
b b
  am(t )  bm 2 (t )  2bm(t )  cos(C t )  a cos(C t )   cos(2C t )
    2 2 
( )=4 cos(2 ) Undesired Undesired Desired Undesired  
Undesired Undesired

20
3. Switching Modulators
 Any periodic function can be expressed as a series of cosines (Fourier Series).

∅ = cos( + )

 The information signal, ( ), can therefore be, equivalently, multiplied by any periodic function, and
followed by BPF.

( )∅ = ( )cos( + )

 Spectrum of ( ) is shifted to 0, ± , ± 2 , ± 3 , … , , ±
 We can use a BPF with bandwidth of 2 , and center frequency .
 Did we make things worse ?
 Let this periodic function be a train of pulses. Multiplication by a train of pulses can be realized by
simple switching.
21
Switching Modulator Illustration

( )

1 2 1 1
= + cos − cos 3 + cos 5 −⋯
2 3 5

1 2 1
× = + cos − cos 3 +⋯
2 3

2
cos

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Switching Modulator: Diode Bridge

Diode-bridge electronic switch

Series-bridge diode modulator Shunt-bridge diode modulator

23
Diode Bridge Operation

24
Switching Modulator: Ring Double balanced modulator
4 1
= − 3 +⋯
3

( )
( )

= ( )
4 1
= ( ) − ( ) 3 +⋯
3

25
Demodulation of DSBSC
 The modulator circuits can be used for demodulation, but replacing the BPF by
a LPF of bandwidth .
 The receiver must generate a carrier frequency in phase and frequency
synchronization with the incoming carrier.
 This type of demodulation is therefore called coherent or synchronous
demodulation (or detection).

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Example: Bridge circuit as a demodulator
 Analyze the bridge modulator as a demodulator.

×
1 2 1
= cos + cos − cos 3 +⋯
2 3
2
= +⋯
1 1
= + cos 2 +⋯

Using a LPF:
1
=
LPF
BW=
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