Bipolar Amplifier is a type of amplifier that can output both positive and negative voltage.
Matsusada Precision defines a bipolar amplifier as a type of power amplifier that covers the inputs and outputs of the four quadrants.
The four "quadrants" are
First quadrant: voltage (+) and current (+) to provide as power source (source mode)
Second quadrant: voltage (+), current (-), absorbs power as load (sink mode)
Third quadrant: voltage (-), current (-) to provide power (source mode)
Fourth quadrant: voltage (-), current (+), absorbs power as load (sink mode)
These operating areas are called "quadrants" and are also called "four-quadrant power supplies" because they operate in four different quadrants. Bipolar amplifiers can be used not only as a power source but also as an electronic load.
Bipolar amplifiers are generally classified as DC power supplies, but they have a wider bandwidth and can operate at higher speeds than typical DC power supplies. The signal is input from a separately prepared signal source (function generator), amplified and output according to the magnification set by the main unit. It is used for evaluation and control of various devices.
There are several types of power supplies and amplifiers that can output both positive and negative polarity, and Matsusada Precision defines other power supplies as follows
A four-quadrant power supply with a built-in signal source is called a Bipolar Power Supply.
A four-quadrant power supply without a built-in signal source and with a high voltage output is called a high-voltage amplifier or a high-voltage, high-speed amplifier.
A power supply that switches between positive and negative polarity outputs is called a Reversible type DC power supply. Imagine a power supply with two built-in DC power supplies, one with a positive output and the other with a negative output, with the output switched by a switch. In our case, the EJ series and CZE series fall into this category.
Power supplies that can output both positive and negative outputs simultaneously are called Two-channel output types. This is used, for example, in high-voltage power supplies for electrostatic chucks. Each channel output of the electrostatic chuck has a reverse type and a bipolar type.