Chaotic systems: a challenge for measurement and analysis

The chaotic signal generated by a deterministic system seems to be random for an observer if the method of signal generation is not known. The chaotic signal has a broadband spectrum, however its amplitude is bounded. These properties imply that the chaotic signal can be used as a random excitation in order to measure the frequency response of a system operating in the linear region. The advantages of the chaotic signals are: due to the bounded amplitude, the system under test cannot be overdriven, moreover high power level can generated with simple circuit configuration. The paper shows that the frequency response can be determined using chaotic excitation. The chaotic signals are generated by a tent map in the discrete and by an analog phased-locked loop (APLL) in the continuous time domain.