Date of Graduation
5-2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Department
Electrical Engineering
Advisor/Mentor
Saunders, Robert
Abstract
Gallium nitride-based field effect transistors (FETs) have opened a path for full-frequency-range class-D audio amplifiers with low distortion and noise, thanks to their ability to switch at much higher frequencies than that of the upper range of human hearing. Compared to traditional silicon-based transistors, GaN-based transistors offer superior efficiencies, particularly at power levels below their maxima. Paired with an analog-to-digital converter, digital signal processor, and pulse-code modulation to pulse-width modulation converter, these transistors are used to design and implement a solid-state amplifier capable of generating 100 watts of output through speakers with an impedance of 8 ohms using a 1-volt line-level input. This digital signal processor, together with Analog Devices’s SigmaStudio development software, allows for equalization, filtering, and other modification of the signal in this design. Together, these equalization features, the use of GaN transistors, and various digital encoding methods are examined for their benefits in producing high-power, high-fidelity audio in small packages.
Keywords
gan; audio; dsp
Citation
Kassaw, K. (2020). Methods of High-Fidelity, High-Efficiency Class-D Audio Amplification. Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/eleguht/70
