The
intermodulation
Intermodulation (IM) or intermodulation distortion (IMD) is the amplitude modulation of signals containing two or more different frequencies, caused by nonlinearities or time variance in a system. The intermodulation between frequency com ...
intercept point in
electronics
The field of electronics is a branch of physics and electrical engineering that deals with the emission, behaviour and effects of electrons using electronic devices. Electronics uses active devices to control electron flow by amplification ...
is a measure of an electrical device's
linearity
Linearity is the property of a mathematical relationship ('' function'') that can be graphically represented as a straight line. Linearity is closely related to '' proportionality''. Examples in physics include rectilinear motion, the linear ...
. When driven by two
sinusoidal wave
A sine wave, sinusoidal wave, or just sinusoid is a mathematical curve defined in terms of the ''sine'' trigonometric function, of which it is the graph. It is a type of continuous wave and also a smooth periodic function. It occurs often in ...
forms, it is the theoretical power level at which the power of the desired tone and the nth-order (where n is odd) intermodulation product intersect.
See also
*
Second-order intercept point
The Second-order intercept point, also known as the SOI, IP2, or IIP2 (Input intercept point), is a measure of linearity that quantifies the second-order distortion generated by nonlinear systems and devices. Examples of frequently used devices th ...
(IP2/SOI)
*
Third-order intercept point
In telecommunications, a third-order intercept point (IP3 or TOI) is a specific figure of merit associated with the more general third-order intermodulation distortion (IMD3), which is a measure for weakly nonlinear systems and devices, for examp ...
(IP3/TOI)
*
Fifth-order intercept point (IP5)
References
Amplifiers
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