The phase-locked loop FM detector can also be utilized for which detection type?

The phase-locked loop (PLL) FM detector is primarily designed to demodulate frequency-modulated signals. However, it can also be effectively utilized for amplitude modulation (AM) detection. This is because the PLL can lock onto the envelope of an AM signal, which carries the modulating information. By tracking the changes in the amplitude of the incoming signal, the PLL can extract the original modulating signal.

In the context of AM detection, the PLL works by generating a signal that is phase-aligned with the incoming AM wave. As the amplitude of the AM signal varies, the phase-locked loop can follow these changes, allowing for the demodulation of the audio or information signal encoded within the amplitude variations. This ability to harness the characteristics of the PLL makes it a versatile tool in signal processing, allowing it to serve not just for FM detection but also for AM detection.

Frequency detection would refer directly to a type of demodulation focused on variations in frequency rather than amplitude, which is not the utility for AM signals. Similarly, phase detection, while related to the operation of a PLL, does not delineate a separate form of modulation detection and is instead a characteristic of how the PLL operates—tracking the phase of signals rather than specifically