MTE 2254 LINEAR INTEGRATED CIRCUITS AND APPLICATIONS

Filters : Fundamentals

• FILTER - Frequency selector network that allows a certain values

of frequency to pass through
• Pass one set of frequencies and stops another set of frequencies
• Called Pass Band and Stop Band
• Cut Off frequency : Separation between pass and stop bands

Classification based on Pass/Stop Bands:

• Low Pass Filter

• High Pass Filter
• Band Pass Filter
• Band Reject Filter
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▪ Passive filters:
• Most responsive to a frequency range from roughly 100 Hz to 300 MHz.
• The limitation on the lower end is a result of the fact that at low
frequencies the inductance or capacitance would have to be quite large.

• The upper-frequency limit is due to the effect of parasitic capacitances

and inductances.

• Careful design practices can extend the use of passive circuits well into
the gigahertz range.

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Active filters :
• capable of dealing with very low frequencies (approaching 0 Hz),
• they can provide voltage gain (passive filters cannot).
• Active filters can be used to design high-order filters without the
use of inductors; this is important because inductors are
problematic in the context of integrated-circuit manufacturing
techniques.
• However, active filters are less suitable for very-high-frequency
applications because of amplifier bandwidth limitations.
• Radio-frequency circuits most often utilize passive filters.

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 ▪ Applications
▪ Used in circuits for separation of signals based on their frequencies. (passes specific band of frequency and attenuates
signals outside the band)

▪ Radio communications: Filters enable radio receivers to only "see" the desired signal while rejecting all other signals
(assuming that the other signals have different frequency content).

▪ DC power supplies: Filters are used to eliminate undesired high frequencies (i.e., noise) that are present on AC input
lines. Additionally, filters are used on a power supply's output to reduce ripple.

▪ Audio electronics: A crossover network is a network of filters used to channel low-frequency audio to woofers, mid-
range frequencies to midrange speakers, and high-frequency sounds to tweeters.

▪ Analog-to-digital conversion: Filters are placed in front of an ADC input to minimize aliasing

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 PASSIVE
FILTERS
Simplest way of making filter is to use R, C, L components

𝟏
𝑿𝑪 =
𝟐𝝅𝒇𝑪

▪ VERY LOW FREQUENCIES: C acts like an open circuit; V0 = Vin

▪ HIGH FREQUENCIES: C acts like a short circuit V0 = 0

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Low Pass Filter : Ideal Response

• Passes all the frequencies lower than 𝑓𝑐
• 𝑓𝑐 is the cut off frequency
• Stops all frequencies greater than 𝑓𝑐 (Gain=0)

Ideal Response

𝟎 𝒇𝒄 𝒇 →

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R C Low Pass Filter

1

• 𝑣𝑜
𝑣𝑖
=
𝑗𝜔𝐶
1
𝑅+ 𝑗𝜔𝐶
=
1
1+𝑗𝜔𝑅𝐶
=
1
1+𝑗2𝜋𝑓𝑅𝐶

• At 𝑓=0, gain =1
• As frequency increases, gain reduces
• At 𝑓 = 𝑓𝑐 =
1 1
, |𝐴𝑣 | = = 0.707
2𝜋𝑅𝐶 2

𝟎 𝒇𝒄 𝒇 →
• Also, 𝐴𝑣 =
1
𝑓 , |𝐴𝑣 | =
1
1+ 𝑓/𝑓𝑐 2
1+𝑗 𝑓
𝑐
−𝟑𝒅𝑩 • Gain rolls off at a rate of -6dB/Octave
• Phase angle = − tan−1
𝑓
𝑓𝑐
• Since the angle is –ve, output lags input
• Also acts as an integrator
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Cutoff Frequency: The frequency, ƒC, at which the output signal has one-half
the power of the input signal. This is useful in specifying where the pass-band
ends and where the stop-band begins. The cutoff frequency is also referred
to as the –3 dB frequency because –3 dB is equivalent to a power ratio of one
half.
Bandwidth: If a filter passes or rejects only a range of frequencies acting like
both a high-pass and a low-pass filter, there will be two cutoff frequencies. The
higher one is ƒH and the lower is ƒL.
Bandwidth = ƒH - ƒL

Roll off: The slope of the filter’s response in the transition region between the
pass-band and stop-band. Roll off is given in dB/octave (a doubling of
frequency) or dB/decade (ten times the frequency). If the response changes
rapidly with frequency, that roll off is termed steep.
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 ACTIVE
FILTERS

An active component (Op-Amp) is used along with resistors and

capacitors

Inductor is replaced by using one of these components in

feedback!

Question: What are the advantages of using Op-Amp Filters?

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Advantages
▪ Can provide Gain
▪ Gain provided is adjustable in desired pass-band region
▪ Used in N.I. configuration – Offers high i/p impedance and low o/p
impedance
▪ Improved load drive capacity & load is isolated from frequency
determining network
▪ Large value of R may be used thereby reducing value of required C
▪ May be used with frequency range as high as 1MHz and as low as
1mHz

Limitations
▪ More Expensive
▪ Limited I/O capability of voltage 10V and current of few mA
▪ Passive filters are more economic for high frequency range

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Most commonly used filters are

▪ Low Pass Filter

▪ High Pass Filter

▪ Band Pass Filter

▪ Band Reject Filter

▪ All Pass Filter

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Response of different filters is shown (Ideal and Actual
Response)

Low Pass High Pass

Band Pass Band Reject

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LPF using OpAmp

• First order Active Butterworth LPF
1

• 𝐴𝑣 = 1 +
𝑅𝐹
𝑅1 𝑅+
𝑗𝜔𝐶
1
𝑗𝜔𝐶
• Filtering action by R and C
• Gain provided by the active element- OpAmp
• Maximum Gain, AF = 1 +
𝑅𝐹
𝑅1
(NOT 1)
• Gain rolls off at a rate of -6dB/octave (a doubling
of frequency) as frequency increases
• |𝐴𝑣 | =
𝐴𝐹
, phase angle = − tan−1
𝑓
𝑓𝑐
𝑓 2
1+ 𝑓𝑐

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Second Order LPF

• As order increases, more RC networks are added

• This increases the slope of gain roll off
• Cut off becomes more sharp
• Second order : 2 R-C networks in cascade
• Gain Roll Off Rate = -12dB/octave = -
40dB/decade (ten times the frequency).
• |𝐴𝑣 | =
𝐴𝐹
, Angle = −2 tan−1
𝑓
𝑓𝑐
𝑓 4
1+ 𝑓𝑐

• If three RC networks are used, roll off is -

18dB/octave

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 Higher Order Filters

Higher Order Low Pass filters can be designed by proper cascading of

1st and 2nd order filters
Increasing the order of filter – increases the roll off rate!

2nd Order 2nd Order 1st Order

Roll off rate = -n x 20dB/dec

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 e.g. 3rd Order Low Pass Filter

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High pass filter

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R C High Pass Filters

• 𝑣𝑜
𝑣𝑖
=
𝑅
𝑅+ 𝑗𝜔𝐶
1 =
𝑅𝑗𝜔𝐶
1+𝑗𝜔𝑅𝐶
=
𝑗2𝜋𝑓𝑅𝐶
1+𝑗2𝜋𝑓𝑅𝐶

• At 𝑓=0, gain =0
• As frequency increases, gain increases
• At 𝑓 = 𝑓𝑐 =
1 1
, |𝐴𝑣 | = = 0.707
2𝜋𝑅𝐶 2
• Also, 𝐴𝑣 =
1
𝑓 , |𝐴𝑣 | =
1
1+ 𝑓𝑐 /𝑓 2
𝒇𝒄 𝒇 → 1−𝑗 𝑓𝑐
𝟎
−𝟑𝒅𝑩
• Gain increases at a rate of 6dB/Octave
• Phase angle = tan−1
𝑓𝑐
𝑓
• Since the angle is +ve, output leads input
• Also acts as a differentiator

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HPF using OpAmp

𝑅1 𝑅𝐹
• First order Active Butterworth HPF
• 𝐴𝑣 = 1 +
𝑅𝐹
𝑅1
𝑗𝜔𝑅𝐶
1+𝑗𝜔𝑅𝐶
𝐶
𝑣𝑖 𝑣𝑜 • Filtering action by R and C
𝑅 • Maximum Gain, AF = 1 +
𝑅𝐹
𝑅1
• Gain increases at a rate of +6dB/octave as
frequency increases
𝑓
𝑗 𝑓
• 𝐴𝑣 = 𝐴𝐹 𝑐
𝑓 =
𝐴𝐹
𝑓 , 𝐴𝑣 =
𝐴𝐹
1+𝑗 𝑓 1−𝑗 𝑓𝑐 𝑓 2
𝑐 1+ 𝑓𝑐

• Second order→ 𝐴𝑣 =
𝐴𝐹

𝑓 4
1+ 𝑓𝑐

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Band Pass Filter

• Passes a band of frequencies between
𝑣𝑖 𝑣𝑜
HPF LPF two cut off frequencies 𝑓𝐿 and 𝑓𝐻
• Formed by combining an LPF and HPF in
cascade
𝑨 • 𝒇𝒄 of LPF > 𝒇𝒄 of HPF
𝟎. 𝟕𝟎𝟕 𝑨 • Phase angle=tan−1
𝑓𝐿
𝑓
− tan−1
𝑓
𝑓𝐻

• Wide band and Narrow band BPFs

𝟎 𝒇𝑳 𝒇𝑯 𝒇 → 𝑓𝐻 𝑓𝐿
𝑓 • Quality factor, Q=
𝑓𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟
𝐵𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑊𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ
=
𝑓𝐻 −𝑓𝐿
𝐴𝐹𝑇 𝑓
OpAmp BPF, AV =
2
𝐿
• If Q>10, Narrow Band , else, Wide Band
𝑓 2
𝑓
1+ 𝑓 + 1+ 𝐹𝐻
𝐿

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 ‘Q’ : Measure of selectivity (Higher Q = More selective is the filter =
narrower bandwidth)

IMPORTANT PARAMETERS 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐖 = 𝐟𝐡 − 𝐟𝐥

▪ Upper and Lower cutoff frequency

▪ Band Width
𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐟𝟎 = 𝐟𝐡 . 𝐟𝐥
▪ Central Frequency
▪ Gain of Central Frequency 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐐 =
𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐟
= 𝟎
𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐖
▪ Selectivity factor

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 WIDE BAND PASS FILTER

A wide band pass filter is formed by cascading a ‘high pass’ and a ‘low pass’ section

This cascading together of the individual low

and high pass passive filters produces a low
“Q-factor”

e.g. 1st Order Wide Band Pass Filter (±20dB/decade)

:Cascade a 1st order HPF and a 1st order LPF
Order of band pass filter = Order of high pass and low
pass sections
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 e.g. 1st Order Wide Band Pass Filter

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 Narrow Band Pass Filter

• The bandwidth of this filter is narrow.

• Therefore, it allows the signal with a small range of frequencies.
• It has multiple feedback.
• This band pass filter uses only one op-amp.
• This band pass filter is also known as multiple feedback filter
because there are two feedback paths.
• In this band pass filter, the op-amp is used in non-inverting
mode.

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All Pass Filters

• 𝑣𝑜
𝑣𝑖
=
1−𝑗𝜔𝑅𝐶
1+𝑗𝜔𝑅𝐶
• Gain is always unity
• As frequency changes, phase changes
• Phase angle = −2tan−1 2𝜋𝑓𝑅𝐶
• Magnitude of angle varies between 0 -180 degrees

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Band Stop Filter

HPF
• Formed by combining LPF and HPF
𝑣𝑖
+
𝑣𝑜
• 𝒇𝒄 of LPF < 𝒇𝒄 of HPF
LPF
• Wide Band and Narrow Band depending on Q

𝑨
𝟎. 𝟕𝟎𝟕 𝑨

𝟎 𝒇𝑯 𝒇𝑳 𝒇 →

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