An AM receiver incorporates an antenna, a transistor, a current source,
and a power supply. The antenna is connected to a gate electrode of the
transistor and through a link to a signal earth. In operation, the
antenna receives radiation and generates a corresponding input signal
which propagates to the gate electrode. The transistor is operable to
process the input signal in two steps, namely to reflectively amplify the
input signal to generate a correspondingly reflectively amplified input
signal at the gate electrode in a first step, and amplitude demodulate
the amplified input signal in a second step. The transistor is operable
in a non-linear region of its current/voltage characteristic whereas it
simultaneously provides reflective amplification and signal demodulation,
namely the two steps occur simultaneously. In contradistinction,
conventional demodulators employing gain devices operating non-linearly
to provide amplitude demodulation incorporate the devices configured to
function as transmission amplifiers.