Which type of modulation is frequently used in digital communications?

Phase Shift Keying (PSK) is a type of digital modulation technique that conveys data by changing the phase of a reference signal. This modulation method is particularly effective in various communication scenarios due to its robustness in noisy environments and its efficient use of bandwidth.

PSK can encode multiple bits of information by changing the phase in increments proportional to the number of symbols that need to be represented. For example, in Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK), which is a subset of PSK, two distinct phases are used to represent binary values (0 and 1). The broader PSK technique supports higher-order variations, such as Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) and 8-PSK, which further enhance data rates without increasing the transmission bandwidth.

In digital communications, PSK is widely favored because it can achieve a good balance between data rate, bandwidth efficiency, and noise resilience, making it suitable for various applications, including data transmission over wireless channels, satellite communication, and digital data storage systems. The versatility and effectiveness of PSK contribute significantly to its frequent use in modern digital communication systems.