PRINCIPLE OF

COMMUNICATION
Research
Diode Detector
The diode detector is the simplest and most basic form of amplitude
modulation, AM detector and it detects the envelope of the AM signal. The
AM diode detector can be built from just a diode and a few other components
and as a result it is a very low cost circuit block within an overall receiver.

Characteristics of a Diode Detector

Rectification

A diode detector allows electrical impulses to pass in only one direction (the
forward direction) and blocks current flowing in the opposite direction (the
reverse direction). This uni-directionality is a feature of diode detectors and is
referred to as “rectification." It is useful for changing alternating current to
direct current.

Demodulation

Diode detectors are very efficient demodulators. They work in this way by
detecting the envelope of the incoming signal and rectifying it. If the diode is
being used purely for signal detection purposes, the polarity of the diode is
irrelevant, but if it is also being used to supply the gain control circuit, the
polarity does matter.

Sensitivity

According to the square law of physics, diode detectors with an input voltage
of 0.5 have a high sensitivity compared with linear detectors with input voltage
values of 0.707. This characteristic links closely with the dynamic range of the
diode detector.
Dynamic Range

A small dynamic range is characteristic of diode detectors with a 0.5 input

voltage, whereas a larger dynamic range results from those diode detectors
that have input voltages of 0.707. Log detectors, formed by using a series of
amplifiers and diode detectors, have the best signal range (up to 80 decibels)
but the poorest sensitivity and an inconvenient, bulky size.

Non-Linear Characteristics

This is a sub-set of diode detector characteristics. These types of characteristics

can be changed by altering the way the P-N junction inside the diode is
constructed.

Inability To Distinguish Frequency

Typical diode detectors cannot distinguish different frequencies, so are often

preceded in the circuit by narrow band-pass filters.

Selective Fading

Demodulation diode detectors are characteristically susceptible to the effects

of selective fading common with shortwave broadcasts in the field of radio
transmission. Normally, the overall signal received is a combination of the
signals received via each path of the transmission, but when the path lengths
are different, the propagation may result in certain small bands of signal being
removed entirely, which results in fading, distortion and tonal changes of the
output signal. Synchronous demodulation produces higher quality broadcasts
than shortwave demodulation.
Transistor Envelope Detector
The basic diode peak detector was covered on a previous topic, entitled Peak
Detector. The diode envelope detector is shown again for convenience. The
same waveforms used in the previous example are also shown to the right.
This page covers transistors used as envelope detectors.

Two different circuits are provided as examples. Both circuits have an identical
function and are used as envelope detectors for an Amplitude Modulated [AM]
signal. The primary difference is how the transistor is used as an amplifier, a
Common Base in one circuit and a Common Emitter in the other. The
components required by the amplifier change in order to support the
configuration of the transistor. The different ways to use or configure a
transistor is shown, with different examples, on the Transistor Terms page.

A general definition of the implementation may be found under the heading or

term AM Receiver which contains an overview.

Common Base Envelope Detector

The term amplifying detector is used in this case, because the circuit is both an
envelope detector and an amplifier. Of course the diode detector used in the
previous example would not be considered an amplifier.

Common-Base Envelope Detector

The amplitude modulated RF input is applied to the primary [L1] of

transformer T1.

The Emitter-Base junction forms an equivalent diode detector as covered

before. The Collector side of the transistor serves as the amplifier section, so
the circuit is the same as a diode detector followed by an amplifier. The input
section comprised of T1 and capacitor C3 form a tuning circuit which is
adjusted to the frequency of the incoming modulation envelope. [or its center
frequency]. The adjustable capacitor is used to tune the LC circuit [C3 & L2] to
the desired frequency.
Resistors R1 and C1 only serve to bias the transistor and set the DC bias point
of the Emitter circuit. R1 provides the DC bias; however the combination of R1
and C1 act as a filter producing a varying DC voltage to the input of the
transistor. The voltage resulting from the filter follows the rises and falls of the
incoming envelope. The varying dc bias on the Emitter junction causes an
identical, but amplified, voltage on the Collector of the transistor.

The detected envelope which happens to be the desired Audio Frequency [AF]
is passed to the output. The Collector voltage is applied to the transistor
through the output transformer [T2]. The primary of T2 forms the load of the
transistor. Capacitor C2 is an RF bypass capacitor. The load of the circuit
segment is the transformer, but the ultimate output is connected to the
secondary of T2 and not shown.

Common Emitter Envelope Detector

An alternative circuit to detecting the envelope of an AM signal is shown

below. This circuit approach uses a Common-Emitter transistor configuration.
The term common-emitter detector might be used to describe the circuit.
Common Emitter refers to the fact the Emitter leg of the transistor is common
to both the input circuit [Base-Emitter] and the output circuit [Collector-
Emitter].

Common-Emitter Envelope Detector

As before the amplitude modulated input is applied to transformer T1.

However this time the tuned circuit [C1 & L1] is found on the primary of the
transformer. The adjustable capacitor is tuned to the desire frequency of the
modulated wave [audio frequency]. The transformers secondary couples the
signal to the Base of the transistor. Resistors R1 and R2 form a voltage divider
which supply a DC bias to the Base of the transistor. Capacitor C2 [and C3] is a
bypass capacitor which shorts out resistor R1 for RF signals.

The Emitter-Base junction of the transistor acts as the detection diode. The
incoming voltage is developed across R1, of the R1/R2 voltage network. The
varying [AF] frequency voltage is applied to the Base of the transistor and
amplified by the Collector circuit.

The output signal is developed across resistor R4, which again is bypassed for
RF by capacitor C4. Capacitor C5 is simply a DC blocking capacitor which blocks
the DC voltages [Vcc] needed by transistor Q1 to function from reaching
thenext circuit down the line.

Tuned radio frequency receiver basics

The definition of the tuned radio frequency, TRF receiver is a receiver where
the tuning, i.e. selectivity is provided by the radio frequency stages.

In essence the simplest tuned radio frequency receiver is a simple crystal set.
Tuning is provided by a tuned coil / capacitor combination, and then the signal
is presented to a simple crystal or diode detector where the amplitude
modulated signal, in this case, is recovered. This is then passed straight to the
headphones.

As vacuum tube / thermionic vale technology developed, these devices were

added to provide more gain.

Typically a TRF receiver would consist of three main sections:

 Tuned radio frequency stages: This consisted of one of more amplifying

and tuning stages. Early sets often had several stages, each proving
some gain and selectivity.

 Signal detector: The detector enabled the audio from the amplitude
modulation signal to be extracted. It used a form of detection called
envelope detection and used a diode to rectify the signal.

 Audio amplifier: Audio stages to provide audio amplification were

normally, but not always included.