A circuit configuration and circuit topological family of voltage mode ac–ac converters with high frequency ac links, which are based on forward converters, and a uni-polarity phase-shifted control strategy are proposed and deeply investigated. These kinds of converters consist of a input cycloconveter, a high frequency transformer, an output cycloconverter, input and output filters, and can transfer an unsteady ac voltage with a high harmonic into steady same-frequency ac sinusoidal voltage with a low harmonic. By using uni-polarity phase-shifted control strategy, output filtering inductance current is naturally commutated, and zero voltage switching of the output cycloconverter is realized. The converters’ averaging model, the output characteristic curve, and design criteria for the key circuit parameters are given. The theoretical analysis and test result of 1kVA220V±10%50 Hz ac/110V50Hz ac prototype have shown that the converters have such advantages as high frequency electrical isolation, simple topology, two-stage power conversion (LFAC/HFAC/LFAC), bidirectional power flow, uni-polarity synchronized pulsewidth modulation waveform, high efficiency, high power density, high steady precision, low total harmonic distortion of the output voltage, strong adaptability to various loads, high line power factor, and low audio noise etc.