Bipolar Power Supply is a type of power supply that can output both positive and negative voltages.
Matsusada Precision defines a bipolar power supply as a power supply that has a built-in signal source and covers 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 power supplies (four-quadrant power supplies) can be used not only as power supplies but also as electronic loads.
Bipolar power supplies 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 built-in signal source (function generator) also allows alternating current (AC) waveforms and cranking waveforms to be output using only a bipolar power supply. It is used in many applications such as testing and measurement of various electronic devices.
There are several types of power supplies that can output both positive and negative polarity, and Matsusada Precision defines other power supplies as follows
A four-quadrant power supply without a built-in signal source is called a Bipolar amplifier or Low-voltage amplifier.
A four-quadrant power supply with a high-voltage output that does not have a built-in signal source 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. This power supply incorporates two 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 power supply is a high-voltage power supply for electrostatic chucks, etc. There are two types of power supplies for electrostatic chucks: reverse and bipolar.
