pulse shaping

Pulse shaping is a technique used in digital communication systems to control the shape of the transmitted signal’s pulse. By designing specific pulse shapes, it helps reduce interference between signals (called intersymbol interference), improves signal quality, and makes efficient use of bandwidth. Essentially, it ensures each symbol (bit of data) is transmitted cleanly and distinctly, allowing more reliable data transfer over channels like radio waves or fiber optics. Common pulse shapes, such as root-raised cosine, are carefully crafted to balance between minimizing interference and maximizing data transmission speed.