Filter Circuits

Passive filters with a single resistor and capacitor are called one-pole filters.
The high-pass filter selects frequencies above a breakpoint frequency B. = 1/RC.

vin vout R jRC

v out = --------------------------- v in = ----------------------- v in
R + 1 jC jRC + 1
C
R v out 2 2 2
R C
A = ---------- = ----------------------------------
v in 2 2 2
1+ R C

For small , A goes as or 6 dB/octave; = tan-1(1/RC); for small , approaches +90 .

The low-pass filter selects frequencies below a breakpoint frequency B. = 1/RC.

vin vout 1 jC 1
v out = --------------------------- v in = ----------------------- v in
R + 1 jC jRC + 1
R
C v out 1
- = ----------------------------------
A = ---------
v in 2 2 2
1+ R C

For large , A goes as 1/ or 6 dB/octave; = tan-1(RC); for large , approaches 90 .

LABORATORY ELECTRONICS II 1 of 13
Transfer Function
The complex gain for a filter is the transfer function.
For a high-pass filter it is,
v out R j B
- H ( j )
- = --------------------------
---------- = --------------------------
v in R + 1 jC 1 + j B

with the breakpoint frequency B = 1/RC.

The transfer function describes behavior as a function of frequency.

Again for the high-pass filter, the real gain G() = |H(j)|
B
G ( ) = ------------------------------------
2
1 + ( B )

falls off below B at 20 dB/decade or 6 dB/octave.

LABORATORY ELECTRONICS II 2 of 13
Speed-up Capacitor
Consider that a capacitor looks like an open connection to low f and like a short circuit at high f .
C

R2
R1 v out = ------------------- v in
vin R2 vout R2 + Z1

The circuit is a resistor divider with R1 replaced with Z1 which includes a capacitor.
R jC R
Z 1 = --------------------------- = -----------------------
R + 1 jC jRC + 1

The expectation is that at high f, the divider has Z1 = 0.

R2 jR 1 R 2 C + R 2
v out = ------------------------------------------------------ v in = ------------------------------------------------- v in
R 2 + R 1 ( jR 1 C + 1 ) jR 1 R 2 C + R 2 + R 1

2 2
( R 1 R 2 C ) + ( R 2 )
A = --------------------------------------------------------------
-
2 2
( R 1 R 2 C ) + ( R 2 + R 1 )

For << 1/R1C, A = R2/(R1 + R2); >> 1/R1C, A = 1.

High frequencies are enhanced, so a pulse edge becomes sharper
LABORATORY ELECTRONICS II 3 of 13
Two-Pole Filters
Two RC high-pass filters can be placed in series.

vin vout
C C
R R

H ( j ) = R ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------

R 1
2R + 1 jC R ( R + 1 jC )
1 jC + ------------------------------------
2R + 1 jC
2
R C
2 2 2 ( B )
H ( j ) = ------------------------------------------------------ = ----------------------------------------------------------------
2 2 2 2
1 + 3jRC R C 1 + 3j ( B ) ( B )

The gain varies as 2.

2
( B )
G ( ) = ---------------------------------------------------------------------
2 4
1 + 7 ( B ) + ( B )

This is a second-order filter.

More poles further increase the rapidity of fall off and add phase shifts.

LABORATORY ELECTRONICS II 4 of 13
RLC Filter
A second-order low-pass filter can be made with a resistor and capacitor.

vin vout
L R
C

1 jC 1
H ( j ) = ------------------------------------------- = -----------------------------------------------------------
jL + R + 1 jC 1 + j Q 0 ( 0 )
2

where 02 = 1/LC and Q = 0L/R.

The circuit is equivalent to a damped driven harmonic oscillator.
There is a damping factor d0 = 1/Q = R/0L.
1
H ( j ) = ------------------------------------------------------------------
2
1 + jd 0 ( 0 ) ( 0 )

1
G ( ) = ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 2 2 2
d0 ( 0 ) + [ 1 ( 0 ) ]

As a second-order filter, the gain varies as 2 above 0.

LABORATORY ELECTRONICS II 5 of 13
Series RLC Circuit
An RLC circuit can form a notch filter that only negates a narrow band of frequency.

R
vin L Z LC
vout v out = -------------------
-v
R + Z LC in
2
C 1 LC
Z LC = 1 j C + jL = -----------------------
jC

v out 2
1 LC
The series impedance can be calculated and inserted to find the gain. A = ---------- = --------------------------------------------
2
v in jRC + 1 LC
L L-
The width of the filtered region is the Q value. Q = -------0- = ---------0- = R ---
R C
A graph of the behavior shows the notch.

v out
---------- = R L
v in
0 = 1 LC

0

LABORATORY ELECTRONICS II 6 of 13
Twin-T Filter
A notch filter can be built with Combines two 2-pole passive filters. One is low pass, and one is
high pass.
1 jC 2
v out LP = --------------------------- v in
R R R + 1 jC
2C
vin vout
R/2

2
v out HP = R
--------------------------
- v
C C R + 1 jC in

The combined effect of the two filters is:

2 jRC 2
v out = ----------------------- + ----------------------- v in
1
1 + jRC 1 + jRC

2
1 ( RC )
v out = ------------------------------- v in
2
( 1 + jRC )
At = 1/RC, the gain is 0.
Low frequencies are shifted by 90
High frequencies are shifted by +90

LABORATORY ELECTRONICS II 7 of 13
Parallel RLC Circuit
If the inductor and capacitor are in parallel there is a positive resonance.
jL jC jL
Z LC = --------------------------------- = -----------------------
R 1 j C + jL 1 LC
2
vin L vout
C Z LC
v out = -------------------
-v
R + Z LC in

The impedance can be calculated and inserted to find the gain.

v out 2 2
jL L
---------- = ------------------------------------------------- = ---------------------------------------------------------
-
v in 2 2 2 2 2 2
R ( 1 LC ) + jL R ( 1 LC ) + L

The filter selects only a narrow range of frequencies.

v out
---------
-
v in

1 LC

LABORATORY ELECTRONICS II 8 of 13
Filter Jargon - Time Domain
There are a number of terms used to describe the overshoot
behavior of signals as a function of time. V risetime
Risetime: time to get to 90% of the signal value. 90%
settling time
Overshoot: percent signal passes signal value.
10%
Settling time: time to stay within of signal value.
t

The effect of filter damping in the time domain is like a damped harmonic oscillator.
underdamped
V

overdamped

Overdamped ( d 0 > 2 ) rises slowly.

Underdamped ( d 0 < 2 ) rises quickly, but there is a ringing overshoot.

LABORATORY ELECTRONICS II 9 of 13
Filter Jargon - Frequency Domain
Filter bahaior is also studied as a function of
ln A passband
frequency.
-3 dB
Passband: Unattenuated region 0 to -3 dB. skirt

Cutoff frequency: edge of passband. -40 dB

stopband
Ripple band: passband that is not flat in frequency. ln f
Skirt: transistion region from -3 to -40 dB.
Stopband: frequencies with attenuation greater than -40 dB.
Steeper skirts require more poles - higher order filter

Damping has an effect in frequency as well as time.

ln A underdamped

overdamped

ln f

High frequency ringing shows up as extra gain at resonant frequency.

Overdamped circuits have extra non-uniform gain in the passband.

LABORATORY ELECTRONICS II 10 of 13
Butterworth Filter
Certain transfer functions give special properties to the behavior and have special names.
A Butterworth filter is designed to give maximum flattness in the passband, so there is a critically
damped response (d02 = 2) in the frequency domain.
This creates ringing in time domain in exchange for uniform frequency response.
The gain of a Butterworth filter is an approximation in terms of a cutoff frequency C:
2
2 2 A
G ( j ) = H ( j ) = --------------------------------------
2 2 n
1 + ( C )

A butterworth filter can be made as a passive 3-pole circuit.

vin vout
L1 L2

C R

1 jC 2
= ------------------------------------ ---------------------- = --------------------------------------
2 R 1
H ( j )
jL + 1 jC jL + R 2 2 3
1 2 1 + ( C )

For (L2/R)2 = 2L1C, C = R2/L12L22C2.

LABORATORY ELECTRONICS II 11 of 13
Chebyshev Filter
A Chebyshev fileter is designed to maximize the
ln A
sharpness at the edge of the passband.

ln f
The transfer function takes the following form.
2
2 A
H ( j ) = ---------------------------------------------
2 2
1 + Cn ( 0 )

Cn is an n-th order Chebyshev polynomial: C n ( x ) = cos [ n acos x ]

This gives an underdamped response (d0 = 0.767)
There is substantial ringing in the time domain.
V

LABORATORY ELECTRONICS II 12 of 13
Bessel Filter
The Bessel filter gives an equal rise time independent
of pulse height. V

t
The transfer function is as follows.
2
2 A
H ( j ) = --------------------------------------------
2 2
1 + Bn ( 0 )

where Bn is an n-th order Bessel function.

This gives an overdamped response (d0 = 1.736)
There is the softer rise in the frequency domain.
ln A

ln f

LABORATORY ELECTRONICS II 13 of 13