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A simple phase-sensitive amplifier with automatic offset nulling

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Abstract

We have described a simple and inexpensive analog phase-sensitive detector using commercial off-the-shelf components. Instead of multiplication by a square wave as found in many standard lock-in-amplifiers, we have used multiplication by a sine wave to minimize higher harmonic contributions. One of the main features of the system is the incorporation of auto-balancing circuitry to minimize distortions due to transistor mismatch in the multiplier. A pair of sample-and-hold circuits arranged in a master–slave configuration has been used to hold the final integrated value, ensuring that the integration limits are located almost exactly at the zero crossings of the reference input.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Professor B C Sarkar of the Department of Physics, University of Burdwan, West Bengal, India and Professor B B Bal of Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata, India, for useful discussion and suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, West Bengal, 731 235, India

    S. Roy, A. Chakravarti & S. Sil

Authors
  1. S. Roy
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  2. A. Chakravarti
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  3. S. Sil
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Correspondence to S. Roy.

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Roy, S., Chakravarti, A. & Sil, S. A simple phase-sensitive amplifier with automatic offset nulling. Indian J Phys 86, 117–124 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12648-012-0016-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12648-012-0016-3

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