THE INSERTION LOSS FILTER

 Filters are two-port n/w used to control the frequency response in an RF or microwave system by
allowing transmission at frequencies within the pass band of the filter and attenuation within the stop
band of the filter.
 Common types are low pass, high pass band pass and band stop.
 Filters are indispensable components for rejecting signals outside the operating band, attenuating
undesired mixer products, and for setting the IF bandwidth of the receiver.
 Many techniques have been proposed for the design and analysis of filter circuits, but the insertion loss
method is generally preferred for the flexibility and accuracy that it provides
 This method is based on network synthesis techniques, and can be used to design filters having a specific
type of frequency response.
 The design low pass filter prototype that is normalized in terms of impedance and cut off frequency.
Impedance frequency scaling and transformations are then used to convert the normalized design to the
one having the desired frequency response.
 For minimum insertion loss can be achieved by binomial frequency response and Chebyshev response
would satisfy a requirement for the sharpest cutoff.

Stepped - impedance low pass filter

 A relatively easy way to implement LPF in microstrip or strip line is to use alternating sections of very
high and very low characteristic impedance lines. Such filters are usually referred to as stepped-
impedance, or hi-Z low-Z filters.
 The electrical performance is good as compared to stub filters.
 The ratio Zh/Zl should be as large as possible, so the actual values of Zh and Zl are usually se to the
highest and lowest characteristic impedance that can be practically.
 The electrical lengths of the inductor and capacitor sections are calculated as follows