Reduction of CM Noise Emissions From PLC Modem Using Optically Coupled Signaling

This paper investigates the feasibility of implementing an optical coupler in the analog front-end (AFE) circuit of a power line communication (PLC) modem to reduce the common mode (CM) noise coupling onto the power lines. Based on a two-current-probe measurement approach, an equivalent CM circuit model is developed to predict the expected CM current generated by the PLC modem when it is plugged onto the power line network. The model provides insight into the CM noise coupling mechanism from any PLC modem onto the power line network, so that the effectiveness of using an optical coupling technique in reducing the CM current from the power line network can be properly quantified