Compact Size Coplanar Waveguide Bandpass Filter Design and

Modeling

Rida El Haffar Abdelkrim Farkhsi Oussama Mahboub Naima A. Touhami

Faculty of Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, National School of Applied Faculty of Sciences,
University Abdelmalek University Abdelmalek Sciences, University University Abdelmalek
Essaadi, Tetouan, Essaadi, Tetouan, Abdelmalek Essaadi Tetouan, Essaadi, Tetouan,
Morocco Morocco Morocco Morocco
ridahaffar@gmail..com mahbouboussama@gmail.com nai_amar@yahoo.fr

The filter is constructed by the cascade of several stub sections

ABSTRACT with quarter-wave open-end, which requires a single plane of
metallization and with a compact size. The effects of the
T his paper proposes a compact cross-Coupled lines design discontinuities formed in the articulation of two stub sections
of a coplanar waveguide bandpass filter which is built from are modeled by localized elements and with the coupled
cascading several sections of quarter wavelength open-end series distributed CPW sections [3].
stubs. The design originates from modeling the series stub as a
system of two asymmetrically coupled transmission lines, which 2 Choice criteria of technology of a topology:
is then made equivalent to a basic filter element of admittance
The choice of a topology and a technology for producing a
inverter. In addition, by introducing the cross-coupling effect,
filter depends on the electrical properties and the physical
two transmission zeros at the upper and lower stopbands may be
characteristics (table 1) requested which are gathered in the
created, which improve the filter selectivity. Simple equivalent
specification [4, 5].
lumped circuit models of the discontinuities formed between two
sections are evaluated and incorporated into the circuit Table 1: Choice criteria of a filter technology
simulation to get better prediction for the filter performance.
th
Specifically, two 4 order CPW bandpass filters centered at Electrical Physical Economic
about 2GHz implemented on a FR4 substrate are demonstrated. constraints constraints constraints
- Filter operating - Congestion, - Design costs
Keywords frequency - weight,
CPW bandpass filter, coplanar waveguide, coupled lines - Production
- Width of the - Mechanical costs.
bandwidth stability,
1 INTRODUCTION - Adjustment
- Ripple in the - Power holding,
Coplanar waveguide (CPW) has gained much research bandwidth. - Sensitivity to costs
interest in last decades, due to the advantages over Microstrip - Insulation against temperature. - Possibility to
such as wider range of achievable impedances, less dispersion, other transmitted adapt to several
and easier to integrate with solid state devices with no via frequencies, standards
required for grounding. With the increasing frequency of - Losses in
operation of telecommunication systems, CPW technology bandwidth, ...
increasingly used transmission lines in the manufacture of MIC
and MMIC. In 1976 the CPW was proposed with open-ended
stubs and short-circuited stubs that could be used in filter design. There are numerous bandpass filter topologies, which differ
The two stubs were modeled as a series of capacitors and according to the frequency specifications to be achieved.
inductors, which facilitates the prediction of electrical properties Conventionally, there are three families of bandpass filters,
[1, 2]. broadband, medium band filters and narrowband filters. We will
present classical bandpass filter topologies. The associated
In this work, a design of a compact cross-Coupled lines of syntheses make it possible to define, from a filter template, an
the coplanar waveguide bandpass filter is proposed and ideal filter prototype, characterized by the sets of impedances
numerically simulated. and the electrical lengths necessary for carrying out the desired
function [6].
Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for
personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made
or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice 3 Implementation of the distributed elements
and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work for microwave filtering:
owned by others than the author(s) must be honored. Abstracting with credit is
permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to At low frequencies, the “elementary bricks” of filtering are
lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from the coils and the capacitors. These elements have very simple
Permissions@acm.org. frequency characteristics. However, at microwave and
ICCWCS'17, November 14–16, 2017, Larache, Morocco
© 2017 Copyright is held by the owner/author(s). Publication rights licensed to
millimeter frequencies it is no longer possible to make circuits
ACM. ACM ISBN 978-1-4503-5306-9/17/11…$15.00 with this type of localized elements. The value of the capacitance
https://doi.org/10.1145/3167486.3167538 is in the same order of magnitude of parasitic capacitances and
weak inductances, they present a dimensioning problem
ICCWCS'17, November 14–16, 2017, Larache, Morocco R. El Haffar et al.

(number of turns/width of the tracks).This is why conventional One of the simplest forms of the inverter is the use a
LC filters with localized elements are converted into distributed quarterwave line with a characteristic impedance K (or J for an
element filters. This conversion is based on the equivalence of a admittance inverter) (figure 2a). Another type of circuit
small portion of a line with the discrete elements (L, C, or equivalent to the inverter often used in coupled resonator filters
resonant circuits). This makes it possible to produce filters in (stub filters) is shown in figure 2b [11].
coplanar technology since the characteristic impedance of such a
line is inversely proportional to the width of the strip. Based on
these transformation tools, there are many component forms
used to construct distributed element filters, but all have the
common property of causing a discontinuity on the transmission
line. These discontinuities present a reactive impedance to a
wavefront travelling down the line, and these reactances can be
chosen by design to serve as approximations for lumped
inductors, capacitors or resonators, as required by the filter.
Many microwave filter topologies have been proposed to
facilitate the design step before realizing them using a chosen
technology (Stepped-impedance low-pass filter, coupled lines
filter, hairpin PCB filter, …and stub filter) [7, 8].

4 Study and design of a microwave filter

based on coplanar technology CPW:
Figure 2: Implementation of inverters using: (a)
4.1 Tools for transforming localized elements transformation of a wave quadrant line, (b) transformation
into distributed elements: lines with reactive elements
There are several ways to transform localized elements into
The elements of equivalent circuit of the figure 2b are shown
distributed elements. Among these we will present the most used
below:
transformation tools [9].
4.4.1 Richard's transformation:
A transmission line can be assimilated to a resonant circuit as
a function of length and its load (open circuit or short circuit).
Table 2 presents a summary of the equivalences resulting from
the transformation of Richard (quarterwave line) [10]:

Table 2: Equivalent circuits of short-circuit and

open-circuit transmission lines
Open circuit
Short circuit
However, in practice, we can only realize inverters for a
limited frequency band, for example by using quarter-wave lines
as shown in figure 3. One of the interesting properties of the
inverters is that an inductor in series closed on both sides by
impedance inverters can be assimilated to a capacitor in parallel.
Similarly, a capacitance in parallel between two admittance
inverters is equivalent to a series inductance [1]. These
properties will allow us to transform a filter circuit into another
form, which is more suitable for the implementation of the
distributed elements [9 ,10 ,12].

4.1.2 K-Inverter of impedance and J-Inverter of

admittance:
In principle, inverters are used to invert load impedance or
load admittance (Figure 1).

Figure 3: The two properties of inverters

4.1.3 Use of coupled lines:

The electromagnetic coupling that is created between two
transmissions lines can be used to construct several types of
filters. In this section, we present some cases of two-port
Figure 1: Impedance and admittance inverters symmetric coupled lines with their circuit parameters (see Table
3) [8].

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Compact Size Coplanar Waveguide Bandpass Filter Design and Modeling
Table 3: Equivalent Scheme and circuit parameters for
2-Port symmetric Coupled Lines
4.2 Design of a bandpass filter based on
coplanar technology:
4.2.1 Feasibility study
The coplanar waveguides (CPW) have several advantages
over Microstrip technology. It has a wider range of achievable
impedances, less dispersion, It is easier to integrate to devices
whose mass is not necessary.
Generally, due to the symmetrical filter structure and
absence of connection wires or bridges, the manufacturing
process is simplified for the implementation of the CPW
bandpass filters, the filter size is about 50 % of the conventional
parallel coupling filter with no harmonic interference
bandwidth. Furthermore, by introducing the cross-coupling
effect, two transmission zeros to the upper and lower cutting
strip can be created, which improves the selectivity of the filter.
However, in practice, most CPW circuit components suffer
from the odd CPW mode excited at asymmetrical discontinuities
such that additional bondwires or airbridges are required to
connect the two ground planes. This leads to additional
processing effort and may cause shifts in frequency responses.
Several CPW bandpass filters without the need of bondwires
have been proposed [1] [15]. The ribbon-of-brick-wall type CPW
bandpass filter [13] based on the open-ended three-line coupled
CPW (Fig. 5) is symmetrical along the direction of propagation.
Therefore, it will not excite the odd CPW mode and thus require
no bondwires. However, its circuit size is the same as the
conventional parallel-coupled bandpass filter. Transmission line
loadings can also be introduced to the three-line coupled CPW
for further size reduction as in [3]. In addition, it can be used to
enhance the coupling in a CPW quarter-wavelength (λ/4)
resonator bandpass filter [16]. In [15], the CPW quasi-elliptic
bandpass filters that utilize ground-connecting strips instead of
bondwires can achieve good filter selectivity as well as compact
size. However, since input and output couplings are realized by
shunt inductors, they are more suitable for narrowband
applications.
In previous work, Microstrip bandpass filters coupled in
parallel with the localized elements and the cross-coupling effect
have been proposed to achieve compact size, this method is
ICCWCS'17, November 14–16, 2017, Larache, Morocco
applied to the design of CPW bandpass filters, but connecting
wires or VIAs were necessary to connect the two ground planes.
4.2.2 Proposed structure analysis
Based on an improvement of the filter structures, a CPW
bandpass filter without connection wires is proposed to achieve
the more compact circuit size and better selectivity. It is based on
the three coupled CPW lines as shown in figure 4. In addition,
the capacitive/inductive counter-coupling effect is introduced to
generate two transmission zeros to improve selectivity.
a- Filter design based on three lines CPW
coupled with open end
The figure 4 (a) shows the open-ended CPW coupled filter
pattern which is symmetrical along the propagation direction, it
may be equivalent to an asymmetric line coupled with two open
ends as shown in figure 4 (b) [1, 10].
Figure 4: (a) The three open-ended CPW coupled
lines, (b) the circuit pattern
Taking the case of this example which represents a portion of
a coplanar coupled line scheme:
Figure 5: Open ended stub CPW. (a) Schematic of CPW
waveguide, (b) the cross section of the coupling region, (c)
equivalent model.
Figure 5 (b) shows the cross section of the coupling
member. First, the connections of lines I and III, II and IV are
treated as ideally short, while the gaps between lines II and III, I
and IV are treated as ideally opened. Then, given this mutual
coupling between lines I and II, the stub is modeled as a section
of two asymmetrically coupled parallel transmission lines shown
in figure 5 (c) [13, 14] .
b- Specifications:
The CPW bandpass filter to be designed should meet the
following Specifications:
- We use of an FR4 substrate (εr = 4.4, tanδ = 0.02, thickness
h = 1.6 mm)
- The filter is designed with a central frequency f0 = 2 GHz and
28% of the bandwidth.
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ICCWCS'17, November 14–16, 2017, Larache, Morocco R. El Haffar et al.

- The ripple in the bandwidth is 0.01 dB The CPW supply and output have a characteristic impedance
- The measured insertion loss is less than 2 dB and the of Z0 = 50 Ω. Due to the choice of narrow lines, the
measured return loss is better than 14dB of 1.78 ~ 2.28GHz. discontinuities have smaller capacitances and inductances, and
The geometrical dimensions of the CPW filter structure consequently, it should also be noted that the filter studied
(table 4) [1]. suffers substantially from the various discontinuity effects near
the upper band. Nevertheless, the present simulation can
successfully predict the filter performance with the
discontinuities suitably modeled by localized capacitances and
inductances.
Interpretation:
Once the junction sections and junction discontinuities can
be appropriately analyzed, modeled and simulated, the CPW
bandpass filters can be successfully designed, subject to the
desired specification.The filter at the center frequency f0 = 2 GHz
and a fractional bandpass A = 28.1% on [1.746GHz ~ 2.31GHz].
With correctly modeled discontinuities, one can consider an
irregular behavior of the response to the higher frequency part.
Peaks occur near the upper band can be contributed to the
additional poles produced by the additional coupling of the gap
Figure 6. The proposed bandpass filter structure between the resonators. The frequency shift due to the presence
of discontinuities can be compensated by appropriately reducing
the length of the section. Due to the choice of narrow lines, the
Table 4: The geometrical dimensions of the CPW filter discontinuities have smaller capacitances and inductances, and
Structure (units are in mm) therefore have weaker effects. The present simulation can
w1 w2 w3 w4 w5 g1 g2 successfully predict the filter performance with discontinuities
12 6.4 0.5 0.4 2.5 0.8 2.3 appropriately modeled by localized capacitances and
inductances.
g3 d1 d2 d3 S1 S2 S3
5.2 Simulation of the equivalent model:
0.4 4 20.8 5 1 0.9 0.4
Taking into account the schematic of CPW bandpass filter
(figure 6) and the transformations of the coupled lines and the
5 Simulation of the adopted CPW filter equivalences of the discontinuities in the coupled CPW lines
structure: explained previously, the equivalent filter model shown in figure
5.1 Modelization and simulation of the adopted 7 [1] :
structure:
We carried out the simulation of the CPW filter proposed
above in accordance with the data specifications.
a- Simulation results and interpretation:
To simulate our filter, we use the transient solver tool with
appropriate boundary conditions. Figure 7 shows the S-
parameters of the filter (S11 and S12).The filter is made on a
substrate with a relative dielectric constant of 4.4 and a height of
h = 1.6 mm. Figure 8: Circuit model for CPW bandpass filter

The figure 8 shows the circuit corresponding to the

th
equivalent model of a 4 order bandpass filter CPW. The two
conductors in the center are used to realize the shunt inductance
L, and the two open circuit CPW stubs at the input/output are
used to produce the shunt capacitor C1, their lengths are much
shorter than the guided wavelength, as shown in figure 8. The
structure of this filter is equivalent to a structure of a fourth
order filter (λ/4 resonator).Using the schematic of equivalent
model shown in figure 9, the circuit made under ADS of
bandpass filter CPW is as shown in the figure 9.To simulate the
previous circuit, we need the following parameters: L, C, W1,
W2, W3, W4 and S. To do this, we used the "LineCalc" tool to
change from a Coplanar structure to a Microstrip structure
shown in the equivalent schematic of figure 8 and of the
schematic made under ADS figure 9.
a- Calculation of the electrical dimension
Figure 7: Simulation results (S parameters) obtained by
corresponding to L2 and W2 for a coplanar line:
CST

4
Compact Size Coplanar Waveguide Bandpass Filter Design and Modeling ICCWCS'17, November 14–16, 2017, Larache, Morocco

We perform a transition from a physical length to an Interpretation:

electrical length for a CPW line, in this case we have: W2 = 3.037 Based on the analysis of the simulation results under ADS,
mm and L2 = 3.2 mm. we found that the CPW bandpass filter equivalent circuit model

Figure 9 : Equivalent circuit model made under ADS

Similarly, we found W1 = 3.037 and L1 = 3.96 mm. We carry satisfactorily met the requirements of the specifications, which
out another passage from a physical length to an electrical shows that the CPW filter design procedure gives satisfactory
length for a coupled line CPW, in this case we will have: W3 = performances and can predict that the realization of this type of
1.87 mm, L3 = 17.67 mm and S = 0.5752 mm.The data used for filter is possible.
simulation under ADS are as follows: Note: The frequency shift due to the presence of discontinuities
can be compensated by appropriately reducing the length of the
Table 5: Simulation data of the filter structure under ADS section.
W1 W2 W3 L1 L2 L3 S C* L* 6 Comparison between the two simulations
3.04 3.04 1.87 3.96 3.2 17.7 0.58 1 pf 1 nH
and interpretation:
To show the agreement between the results (parameters S)
obtained by the two software CST and ADS, we have
b-Simulation results under ADS: represented them in the same graph using Matlab (figure 10).
After simulation of the proposed equivalent CPW filter According to the analysis of the results obtained by Matlab,
structure, the following results are obtained: there is a satisfactorily agreement between the simulation results
obtained by CST Microwave and the results obtained by
ADS.The measured insertion loss is less than 2dB and the
measured return loss is better than 14dB from 1.78 ~ 2.28GHz.
Although there is a slight difference in intensity and frequency,
especially for S11, and this is due to passages between the CPW
structure to the Microstrip equivalent model ,also, the values of
the localized elements (C and L) are approximate (the values
listed in the table are approximate). The simulation results also
show that the proposed design procedure can successfully
implement the CPW bandpass filter with wall bricks with
satisfactory performance. The present simulation can
successfully predict the filter performance with the
discontinuities suitably modeled by localized capacitances and
inductances.

Figure 9: Simulation results under ADS (Filter

S parameters)

* We gave arbitrary an initial values for the localized elements C

and L. Afterwards; we search them using the "Tuning" tool. They
are varied until the results expected by the specifications are
reached. The values of the localized elements corresponding to the
requirements of the specifications are: C = 0.74 pf and L = 0.668nH.

Figure 10: Comparison between the proposed bandpass

filter structure and equivalent circuit model results

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 ICCWCS'17, November 14–16, 2017, Larache, Morocco R. El Haffar et al.

[14] Anne-Laure FRANC. 2011. High quality factor integrated propagation lines in
7 CONCLUSION CMOS technology - Application to the synthesis of millimetric passive
circuits.PhD thesis .University of de Grenoble.
[15] H. Zhang and K. J. Chen.2006.Miniaturized coplanar waveguide bandpass
In this paper we have presented a technology of bandpass filters using multisection stepped-impedance resonators.IEEE Trans.
filters of coplanar waveguide with a compact in size and strictly Microwave Theory Tech. vol. 54, no. 3, March, pp.1090.
uni-plane requiring a single metallization plane and no [16] J. Gao and L. Zhu.2004.Asymmetric parallel-coupled CPW stages for harmonic
overhead bridge. The design, analysis, simulation and suppressed λ/4 bandpass filters,”Electronics Lett. Vol 40, no. 18, Sept. 2004,
pp.1122-1123
measurement techniques are presented for a complete survey of
the cross-coupled CPW filter. The design comes from a new
modeling of the open-ended stub series. Discontinuities due to
branch junctions are modeled by localized capacitances and
inductances, which are calculated using efficient numerical
techniques, a complete circuit comprising coupled transmission
line models for the coupling sections and localized models for
discontinuities of junction.
In this work, the band-pass filter based on three CPW-
coupled lines does not require any connecting wires or overhead
bridges, it can achieve compact circuit size, wide bandwidth, and
good selectivity, so good Performance has been achieved. The
agreement between the results of simulations with the two
software "CST Studio Suite" and "ADS Advanced Design
System" .

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