Crest factor minimisation in the frequency domain

Abstract

This paper examines the minimisation of signal crest factor using a frequency domain method. Multisine signals are designed with their relative harmonic phases selected to minimise the distortion introduced by a cubic nonlinearity on the measurement of a frequency response function. This approach is based on the observation that low crest factor signals possess properties that reduce the nonlinear effect. The resulting signals are compared with other types of low crest factor signals. It is found that the technique does not produce the lowest possible crest factors but that the signals do minimise the nonlinear distortion introduced by a cubic nonlinearity. The signals are thus termed minimum distortion multisines.