Advanced Modulation Techniques: The Key to Improved Power Density? (Download)

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Power-density improvements are an increasingly elusive goal as designers exhaust the easiest or most obvious solutions. One direction that’s now being explored more thoroughly is advanced modulation techniques, which may prove crucial for further enhancing power density in electronic systems.

In general, alternate modulation approaches offer an opportunity to optimize switching behavior and component utilization. Techniques include pulse-width modulation (PWM), space vector modulation (SVM), step density modulation (SDM) and proportional-values modulation (PVM). They have been employed to reduce switching losses, minimize component size, and enhance overall efficiency, though this list is far from exhaustive.