Pulsläge

Pulsläge, or pulse mode, refers to operating a device in a pulsed manner, delivering energy in short bursts with defined pulse width, repetition rate and duty cycle, rather than supplying a continuous output. The main parameters are pulse width (t_p), period (T) and repetition rate (f = 1/T); duty cycle D = t_p/T. In pulsläge the output peaks can be much higher than in continuous mode, while average power may be limited to manage heating.

Implementation and characteristics: Pulsläge is achieved by switching devices on and off at controlled times, using drivers, switches or modulating circuits. Rise and fall times, timing jitter, and bandwidth influence the fidelity of the pulse and the resulting spectrum. Energetic content per pulse is determined by the instantaneous output during the on-time, while the duty cycle governs average energy.

Applications: Pulsed operation is common in laser systems (pulsed lasers with high peak powers), LED and lighting control, radar and communications, signal generation and testing, pulsed power supplies, and motor control where high instantaneous power is needed with controlled average heating. It is also used in measurement and imaging techniques that require short, intense excitation.

Advantages and considerations: Benefits include higher peak power with lower average heating, precise timing, and the ability to study transient phenomena. Challenges include the need for fast, reliable switching components, potential timing jitter and EMI, duty-cycle constraints, and thermal cycling. Safety considerations are important when high peak powers are involved. See also continuous mode and PWM as related concepts.