pulse

A pulse is characterized by its abrupt change in its voltage, current or brightness level. The latter applies to optical pulses, to light pulses as used in optical transmission technology.

A pulse is characterized by a steep transition between two levels: one level forms the pulse bottom, the second level, which has a more or less constant level value for the duration of the pulse after the level jump, is the pulse top.

Pulse definitions of pulse width, rise time and period duration

Typical parameters of a pulse are the pulse width, pulse duration, pulse repetition rate, duty cycle, and rise time and fall time. The pulse repetition rate is the reciprocal of the period duration. The rise time( tr) and fall time( tf) are defined as the time that lies between 10% and 90% of the level values, relative to the maximum value (Umax). Furthermore, pulses are characterized by the decay behavior in the pulse roof as well as their overshoot and undershoot.