RF and Microwave Frequency Circuits and systems RN620

Maximally Flat Microwave Filter Design

To design a maximally flat filter with 12dB attenuation at 1.3333 times cutoff
frequency of 3.8GHz.

We have
fc = 3.8 GHz
And at 1.3333 times fc
Attenuation = 12dB
i.e. 10 log PLR = 12
So, PLR = 15.84

(
Using PLR = 1 + k 2 w / wc
N = 4.689 ≈ 5
) 2N

Using g0 = gN+1 = 1
And gn = 2 sin [(2n - 1) Π / 2N]; n = 1, 2... N

g1 = 0.618
g2 = 1.618
g3 = 2
g4 = 1.618
g5 = 0.618

And making impedance and frequency scaling with R0 = 50 Ω and ω c = 2 Π fc

Using L = L n ( R0 / ω c ) ;L n is normalized inductance
And C = C n / ( R0 ω c ) ;C n is normalized capacitance

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 RF and Microwave Frequency Circuits and systems RN620

We get

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 RF and Microwave Frequency Circuits and systems RN620

distributed component form

For a capacitance
The impedance Z0 = 20 Ω
And effective electrical length (θ) = C ( Z0 / R0 )

For inductance
The impedance Z0 = 100 Ω
And effective electrical length (θ) = L ( R 0 / Z0 )

section θ

1 14.16
2 46.35
3 45.83
4 46.35
5 14.16

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 RF and Microwave Frequency Circuits and systems RN620

Magnitude of lumped and distibuted

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 RF and Microwave Frequency Circuits and systems RN620

Also the presence of the capacitance due to junction transition effect was simulated in
ADS by using the microstrip step (MSTEP) component. The effect was not included
in our calculation but is present in the actual board so we must take it into account if
our design is to meet the given specifications.

From the figure we can see the effect of using the distributed component
instead of the lumped components. Use of distributed component tends to deviate the
curve from the lumped component curve at high frequencies. But we still have to
make account if the transitional capacitance between microstrip lines. In that case we
see there is a change in the attenuation again.

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 RF and Microwave Frequency Circuits and systems RN620

Now to get as close as possible to the lumped curve, we change the length parameter
of all the microstrips proportionally. We had to change the length of each microstrip
to about 82% of the actual length required. Final curve after matching is given below.

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RF and Microwave Frequency Circuits and systems RN620