Modulation-transfer noise effects among FM and digital signals in memoryless nonlinear devices

When two or more frequency-modulated and/or digital carriers of various sizes and modulation formats are transmitted through a common memoryless nonlinear device with AM/AM and AM/PM characteristics such as a traveling-wave tube amplifier, interactions among the carriers will occur. One of the impairments caused by these interactions results in modulation-transfer noise effects. In particular, in satellite communications, depending on the manner multicarrier transponders are used, the modulation-transfer impairment manifests itself under various forms and subjective interference effects. This tutorial-review paper presents an introduction to this type of impairment, methods of analysis and examples, and measurement results. General practical guidelines are suggested for controlling these effects.