Experiment 05

Experiment Title: Study of a 741 Operational

Amplifier as Active High Pass and Low Pass
Filters
What is a high pass filter?
As the name implies, a high pass filter is a filter that passes the higher frequencies and rejects those at lower
frequencies.
Single pole op amp high pass filter
The simplest circuit high pass filter circuit using an operational amplifier can be achieved by placing a capacitor in
series with one of the resistors in the amplifier circuit as shown. The capacitor reactance increases as the frequency
falls, and as a result this forms a low pass filter providing a roll off of 6 dB per octave.
The cut off frequency or break point of the filter can be
calculated very easily by working out the frequency at which
the reactance of the capacitor equals the resistance of the
resistor. This can be achieved using the formula:
Rf
1
𝑋𝑐 =
2𝜋𝑓𝐶
Where: -
Xc is the capacitive reactance in ohms
π is equal to 3.142 +
f is the frequency in Hertz
C is the capacitance in Farads
Single Pole High Pass Inverting
 Two pole active high pass filter (Second Order High Pass
Filter) Active high pass op amp filter circuit
The calculations for the circuit values are
R1
very straightforward for the Butterworth
2.2K response and unity gain scenario. Critical
1.2K
damping is required for the circuit and the
Rf ratio of the resistor vales determines this.
+15V
- 𝑅2
C1 C2 741 𝑅1 =
2
+
0.1uF 0.1uF -15V C1 = C2
Vi R2 2.2K Vo
10K
AC
RL 2
𝑓 =
2 𝜋 𝑅2 𝐶2
When choosing the values, ensure that the
output resistor values fall in the region
between 10 kΩ and 100kΩ. This is advisable
because the output impedance of the circuit
rises with increasing frequency and values
outside this region may affect the
performance.
 R1

1.2K 2.2K

Rf
+15V
-
C1 C2 741

+
0.1uF 0.1uF -15V
Vi R2 2.2K Vo
10K
AC
RL
What is a low pass filter:
As the name implies, a low pass filter is a filter that passes the
lower frequencies and rejects those at higher frequencies.
Operational amplifiers or op-amps provide a very effective
1
means of creating low pass filters without the need for 𝑋𝑐 =
2𝜋𝑓𝐶
inductors.
Single pole active low pass filter circuit The break point for this simple type of filter can
be calculated very easily by working out the
frequency at which the reactance of the capacitor
equals the resistance of the resistor. This can be
achieved using the formula:
1
𝑋𝑐 =
2𝜋𝑓𝐶
Where:
Xc is the capacitive reactance in ohms
π is equal to 3.142
f is the frequency in Hertz
C is the capacitance in Farads
Two pole low pass filter op-amp circuit
R1 = R2

C1 = 2C2

2
𝑓 =
4 𝜋 𝑅 𝐶2
1 1
= ∗ 0.707 ∗
2 𝜋𝑅𝐶2
 C1

2.2K
0.22uF

Rf
+15V
-
R1 R2 741

+
1.2K 1.2K
0.1uF -15V
+ C2
Vo
10K
AC Vi
RL

2 1 1
𝑓 = = ∗ 0.707 ∗
4 𝜋 𝑅 𝐶2 2 𝜋𝑅𝐶2