Limiting amplifiers operate in the saturated region of their transfer function, thereby, minimizing output power variations and providing constant output over a wide input dynamic range. They are especially effective at minimizing the harmonic content of output power under limiting conditions and reproducing pulsed input signals with high fidelity by minimizing overshoot and recovery times.
Limiting amplifiers are useful in applications, which require tightly controlled power delivered over a wide range of input drive or over wide frequency ranges or even wide temperature ranges.
Typical applications include:
• Local oscillator networks
• Microwave phase/frequency discriminators
• Protecting circuitry from overdrive damage
• Removing amplification modulation from FM signals
• Instantaneous frequency measurement (IFM) receivers
Limiting Amplifier Comments:
1. Harmonics: -10 dBc typical at the input power up to +10 dBm.
2. Pulse response:
Overshoot: 0.5 dB, max
Recovery time: 50 ns, max
Settling time: 25 ns, max
Rise time: 20 ns, max
3. Temperature compensation, signal suppression and phase matching are optional.
4. All units contain built-in voltage regulator and reverse voltage protection diode.
5. Performance of all Limiting Amplifiers are application-specific. Consult the factory with your requirements.
