SATURATION

1. In a communications system , the condition in which a component of the system has reached its maximum traffic handling capacity. Note: Saturation is equivalent to one erlang per circuit . 2. The point at which the output of a linear device , such as a linear amplifier, deviates significantly from being a linear function of the input when the input signal is increased. ( 188 ) Note: Modulation often requires that amplifiers operate below saturation.