METHODS FOR PROVIDING VERY LOW NOISE POWER FOR SENSORS ACROSS AN ISOLATION BARRIER

ADVANCES IN SENSORS, ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTERS, AND INSTRUMENTATION IN GENERAL ARE FOSTERING A NEED FOR SIMILAR ADVANCES IN THE OUTPUT NOISE PERFORMANCE OF THE SUPPLIES THAT PROVIDE POWER TO THESE DEVICES. TO ENSURE THAT THE POWER SUPPLY NOISE DOES NOT DEGRADE OR LIMIT THE PERFORMANCE OF PRESENT STATE-OF-THE-ART SENSORS AND SIGNAL PROCESSING CIRCUITS, REDUCTION OF NOISE BY 40 TO 60 DB IS NEEDED. THIS IS BEYOND A REASONABLE EXPECTATION FOR CONVENTIONAL METHODS, SO RESEARCH INTO NEW METHODS OF POWER CONVERSION, SPECIFICALLY AIMED AT REDUCING NOISE, IS BEING STUDIED. RESEARCHERS ARE DEVELOPING METHODS TO REDUCE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THE SOURCES OF THE NOSE. THE METHODS WILL GREATLY REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE GENERATION OF HIGH ORDER HARMONICS SO THAT SUBSEQUENT FILTERING AND SHIELDING WILL BE MORE EFFECTIVE.