BALANCED MODULATOR Using Diodes Or RING MODULATOR :

Below figure shows the lattice type of balanced modulator. It consists of an input Transducer T1, an
output Transducer T2 and four diodes connected in a bridge circuit.

Here, the carrier signal is applied to the center taps of the input and output transformers and the
modulating signal is applied to the input transformer T1.

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The output appears across the secondary of the Transformer T2. The diodes connected in the bridge
act like switches and their switching is controlled by the carrier signal.

Positive half cycle of the carrier signal:-

To understand working of the circuit, we first assume that the modulating input is zero.

In the positive half cycle of the carrier signals Diode D1 & D2 are forward biased and diode D3 & D4
are reverse biased i.e shown in above fig(a).

In the above fig (a), the current divides equally in the upper and lower portions of the primary
winding of T2.

The current in the upper part of the winding produces a magnetic field that is equal and opposite to
the magnetic field produced by the current in the lower half of the secondary.

As a magnetic fields are equal and opposite each other, they cancel each other, producing no output
at the secondary of T2. Thus, the carrier is suppressed.

Negative half cycle of the carrier signal:-

In the negative half cycle diodes D1 and D2 are reverse biased and diodes D3 & D4 are forward
biased as shown in fig (b).

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Similar to positive half cycle, here also magnetic fields in the primary winding of T2 are equal and
opposite cancelling each and other. Therefore output at T2 secondary is zero.

The suppression of the carrier in both the half cycles depends on the matching of the diode
characteristics and precision of center tap of the transformers to give exactly equal upper and lower
currents and magnetic fields.

With modulating signal:-

Now assume that a low frequency sine wave is applied to the primary of T1 as a modulating signal.
This signal will appear across the T1 secondary.

In the positive half cycle, diodes D1 and D2 are forward biased and they will connect the secondary
of T1 to the primary of T2.

As a result, the modulating signal at the secondary of T1 is applied to the primary of T2 through
diodes D1 and D2.

In the negative half cycles diodes D3 and D4 are forward bias and they will connect the secondary of
T1 to the primary of T2 with reverse conditions.

This results 180 degrees phase shift in the modulated signal as shown in the below fig.

The ring modulator is more ideal when the carrier is a square wave. In case of square wave carrier,
the carrier signal c(t) is represented by a Fourier series as

We know that DSB-SC

S(t)=c(t).x(t)
Substituting the value of c(t), we get

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