Modependent

Modependent is a term used in science and engineering to describe properties, phenomena, or behaviors that vary with the mode of a system. Here, a mode can refer to an eigenmode or resonant state in a physical structure, a specific operational configuration, or a particular pattern of vibration or signal. Properties described as mode-dependent may change when the system operates in different modes, even if external conditions are held constant.

In practice, mode-dependent behavior is often analyzed through modal analysis, which decomposes a system’s response into contributions from individual modes. Quantities such as loss, damping, gain, or sensitivity may differ between modes, yielding mode-dependent performance. The concept is central to understanding how a device behaves across its range of resonances or operating states.

Examples span multiple fields. In optics, mode-dependent loss or gain occurs in multimode fibers and resonators where different spatial or polarization modes experience varying attenuation. In acoustics and structural engineering, mode-dependent damping affects how a structure responds to excitation at different natural frequencies. In electronic and RF systems, impedance, noise, or nonlinear effects can be mode-dependent, changing with the chosen operational mode or signal pattern.

Modedependent is contrasted with mode-independent properties, which remain constant across modes. It often implies potential mode coupling or selective amplification, and its consideration is important for design, calibration, and performance optimization. See also modal analysis, eigenmode, and mode coupling.