Distorsioprodukti

Distorsioprodukti, commonly translated as distortion products, are additional signals generated when a nonlinear system is driven by two or more input frequencies. In electronic circuits, nonlinearities in components such as transistors, diodes, or op‑amps produce intermodulation distortion products at frequencies that are linear combinations of the original tones: f_i ± f_j, 2f_i ± f_j, and so on. These products are often unwanted because they degrade audio fidelity, reduce signal‑to‑noise ratio, and can interfere with adjacent channels in communication systems.

In sensor technology, distortion products are exploited for diagnostic purposes. For example, in otoacoustic emissions testing of the inner ear, a probe tone is presented to the tympanic membrane and the ear’s mechanical response generates distortion products that can be recorded and used as a non‑invasive indicator of cochlear health.

Similarly, in magnetic resonance imaging, nonlinearities in gradient coils can produce distortion artifacts, and imaging sequences are designed to minimize these effects or to correct for them in post‑processing. The analysis of distortion products also informs the design of RF filters, amplifiers, and mixers to ensure compliance with regulatory standards for harmonic and intermodulation distortion.

Mathematically, the distortion products arise from the Taylor series expansion of the system’s transfer function. The third‑order terms are responsible for most audible intermodulation distortion, while higher‑order terms contribute to harmonic distortion. Approaches to reduce distortion include operating devices in the linear region, employing feedback loops, using predistortion in power amplifiers, and selecting components with high linearity specifications.

In summary, distorsioprodukti are a fundamental phenomenon in many branches of science and engineering, highlighting the importance of linearity in system design and the practical applications of monitoring and controlling nonlinear behavior.