Detection of modulated Gaussian signals in noise

A method using Hermite polynomials is utilized for analyzing the outputs of vth- law devices for inputs of modulated Gaussian signals and zero- mean Gaussian noise. New results are developed for the output correlation functions, and techniques for obtaining closed- form expressions are pointed out. Output signal- to- noise ratios for various input carrier- to- noise- power ratios are calculated, and plots are shown for a single sinusoidal modulating signal. Results are derived to show the existence of a theoretical maximum for the output signal- to- noise ratio.