FM DEMODULATORS

Prof. Dr. G.Aarthi,

Associate Professor, SENSE

1
 What is a Demodulator?
• Demodulation is the act of extracting the original
information-bearing signal (modulating signal) from a
modulated carrier wave.

• A demodulator is an electronic circuit used to

recover the information content from the modulated
carrier wave.

2
 What is FM Demodulator
• An electronic circuit in which frequency variations of
modulated signals are converted to amplitude
variations first, with the help of tuned circuit

• And then original information is extracted with the

AM demodulation techniques say diode detector.

3
 Types of FM Demodulators
FM
Demodulation

Direct Indirect
• Slope Detector Phase Lock Loop(PLL)
• Balanced Slope Detector
• Foster-Seeley Phase Discriminator
• Ratio Detector

4
 Basic FM Demodulator

Frequency TUNED Amplitude

Variations CIRUIT Variations

NOTE: Amplitude Variations are added to wave

according to frequency variations, and frequency
variations remain present in wave.

5
Basic FM Demodulator

FM
Wave

Output
of Tuned
Circuit

6
 Basic FM Demodulator
• The most basic circuit employed as FM demodulator
is parallel tuned LC circuit, often known as slope
detector.

• The carrier frequency should fall on one side of

resonant frequency and

• The entire frequencies should fall on linear region of

transfer curve of tuned circuit.

7
 Slope Detector
Tank Circuit Envelope Detector Circuit

FM
Source Detector
Output

Voltage versus Frequency Curve

8
Transfer Output
Curve

Slope Detector
Transfer
Characteristics
9
Transfer Output
Curve

Slope Detector Transfer

Characteristics

10
 SLOPE Detector
• The output is then applied to a diode detector with
RC load of suitable time constant.

• The circuit is, in fact, identical to that of AM detector.

11
 Advantages of Slope Detector
• Simple - can be used to provide FM demodulation
when only an AM detector is present.

• Enables FM to be detected without any additional

circuitry.

12
 Limitations of Slope Detector
• It is inefficient, as it is linear in very limited frequency
range.

• It reacts to all amplitude changes.

• It is relatively difficult to tune, as tuned circuit must

be tuned to different frequency than carrier
frequency.

13
Balanced Slope Detector

14
 Balanced Slope Detector

• This circuit uses two slope detectors, connected in

back to back fashion, to opposite ends of center-
tapped transformer.

• And hence fed 1800 out of phase.

15
• The top secondary circuit is tuned above the IF by an amount
f, and bottom circuit is tuned below IF by f.

• Each circuit is connected to diode detectors with suitable RC

loads.

• The output is taken across series combination of loads, so that

it is sum of the individual outputs. 16
 Balanced Slope Detector
15V
Output of T’ at fc+f
(+10 to +15V)
10V
Output of T’ at fc-f
(+5 to +10V)
5V

-5V
Output of T’’ at fc+f
(-5 to -10V)
-10V
Output of T’’ at fc-f
(-10 to -15V)
-15V
17
 Balanced Slope Detector
• When input frequency = fc
– Then output of T’(+Ve)= output of T’’ (-Ve)
– So sum of outputs of T’ and T’’ = Zero
• When input frequency = fc+f
– Then output of T’(+Ve) > output of T’’ (-Ve)
– So sum of outputs of T’ and T’’ = +Ve
• When input frequency = fc-f
– Then output of T’(+Ve) < output of T’’ (-Ve)
– So sum of outputs of T’ and T’’ = -Ve

18
Combined Transfer Curve

Useful Range

19
 Balance Slope Detector- Advantages
• This circuit is more efficient than simple slope
detector.

• It has better linearity than the simple slope detector

20
 Balance Slope Detector- Drawbacks
• Even more difficult to tune, as there are three
different frequencies to be tuned.

• Amplitude limiting still not provided.

• Linearity, although better than single slope detector,

is still not good enough.

21