Bode Plot

• Prepared by Prof. E. Ambikairajah (UNSW) and

modified by Prof. T. Thiruvaran

Bode plot
 Decibels (dB)
 Cascade Connection
 Logarithmic Frequency Scales
 Magnitude and Phase plots
 Functions With a Complex Root Pair

1
 Decibels (dB)

 The ratio of any two values of the same quantity

(power, voltage, current) can be expressed in
decibels (dB)
 For instance, we say that an amplifier has 10 dB
power gain or a transmission line has a power loss of
7 dB (or gain -7 dB [ie loss]).
 If the gain (or loss) in 0 dB, the output is equal to the
input.
 It is helpful to express the magnitudes of transfer
functions in decibels.

Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 2

  To convert a transfer-function magnitude to decibels, we
multiply the common logarithm (base 10) of the transfer
function magnitude by 20.

Vin H ( j) Vout

Voltage
Vout ( j  )
| H ( j  ) |dB  20 log10
Vin ( j  )
Magnitude
Used for voltage transfer function

Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 3

  Ratios of powers are converted to decibels by taking 10
times the logarithm of the ratio.

Pin H ( j) Pout

Power

Pout
dB  10 log10
Pin
Used for power transfer function

 Note that the decibel equivalents are positive for

magnitudes greater than unity, whereas the decibel
equivalents are negative for magnitude less than unity.
Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 4
  To gain some feeling for the size of the decibel unit, recall
some of the properties of the logarithm:
 Note: log10 1 = 0, log10 2 = 0.30103 & log10 10 = 1

• An increase of |H(jω)| by a factor of 10 corresponds to an

increase in |H(jω)|dB by 20 dB.

• 1000 corresponds to 60 dB;

• 0.01 is represented as -40 dB;
Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 5
 1
𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒆: 2 = 3 dB and = -3dB
2
𝐻𝑑𝐵
𝐼𝑓 𝐻𝑑𝐵 = 20 log 10 𝐻(𝑗𝜔) 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝐻(𝑗ω) = 10 20

Exercise 1
Q1: Calculate |H(jω)|dB at ω=146 rad/s if:
(a) H(s) = 20/(s+100) (b) H(s) = 20(s+100) (c ) H(s) = 20s

Q2: Calculate |H(jω)| if HdB equals

(a) 29.2 dB (b) -15.6 dB (c ) -0.318 dB
Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 6
 A magnitude of a filter transfer function is shown in Fig (a) and (b)

 When the magnitude is converted to decibels, passband

magnitude is approximately unity (0 dB) and that at 60 Hz the
magnitude is sufficiently small (less than -80 dB)
 One of the advantage of converting transfer function
magnitudes to decibels before plotting is that very small and
very large magnitude can be displayed clearly on a single plot.
Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 7
 Cascade Connection

Vin1 H1(jω) Vout1 Vin2 H2(jω) Vout2

Vout1 Vout 2
• When we connect H1 ( j  )  ; H2 ( j  ) 
the output terminals Vin1 Vin 2
of one two-port But V = V
circuit to the input out1 in2 Vin 2
terminals of another
Vout 2 Vout 2 Vout1
two-part circuit, we H ( j)   
say that we have a Vin1 Vin 2 Vin1
cascade connection  H2 ( j  )  H1 ( j  )

 H ( j  )  H1 ( j  ) H2 ( j  )
Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia Overall Transfer function 8
 Thus, the transfer function of the cascade connection in the
product of the transfer function of the individual two-port
circuit/system
 This fact can be extended to three or more two-ports
connected in cascade
 We have,

 By expressing in decibels, we get

 Thus in decibels, the individual transfer function magnitudes

are added to find the overall transfer function magnitude for a
cascade connection
Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 9
 Logarithmic Frequency Scales
 We often use a logarithmic scale for frequency when plotting
transfer functions.
 For example, a logarithmic frequency scale is shown below:

 A decade is a range of frequencies for which the ratio of the

highest frequency to the lowest is 10.
 The frequency range from 2 to 20 Hz is one decade.
 Similarly, the range from 50 to 5000 Hz is two decades (50 to
500 Hz is one decade, and 500 to 5000 Hz is another decade).
 An octave is a two-to-one change in frequency. For example,
10 to 20 Hz is one octave. The range 2 to 16 Hz is three
octaves.
Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 10
 Suppose that we have two frequencies f1 and f2 to which f2 > f1. The
number of decades between f1 and f2 is given by,

 The number of octaves between two frequencies are:

 The advantage of a logarithmic frequency scale compared with a

linear scale is that the variations in the magnitude or phase of a
transfer function for a low range of frequency such as 10 to 20 Hz as
well as the variations in high ranges such as 10 to 20 MHz can be
clearly shown on a single plot.

 Note: With linear scale, either the low range would be severely
compressed or the high range would be off scale]

Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 11

 Exercise 2
Q1: Suppose |H(jω)| =50. Find the dB equivalent. [Ans: 34dB]

Q2: Suppose that |H(jω)|dB = 15 dB, Find |H(jω)|. [Ans: 5.62]

Q3: What frequency is two octaves higher than 1000 Hz?

a. Three octaves lower?
b. Two decades higher?
c. One decade lower?
[Ans: 4000 Hz, 125 Hz, 100 kHz, 100 Hz]

Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 12

 Magnitude and Phase Plots
 A Bode Plot shows both the magnitude and phase curves
using a logarithmic frequency scale for the abscissa (normally
x-axis) and magnitude itself is also shown in logarithmic unit
called dB (for the magnitude plot) and degrees for the phase
plot.

Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 13

 The Bode Plot is particularly useful for displaying transfer
functions.
 The Bode Plots can often be closely approximated by straight-
line segments, so that they are relatively easy to draw.

 Consider the first-order lowpass filter transfer function:

Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 14

 To convert the magnitude to decibels, we take 20 times the
logarithm of the magnitude 𝐻(𝑗𝜔) :

If ωc>>> ω then |H(jω)|≈-10log(1)=0. Thus, for low frequencies, the

transfer function magnitude is approximated by the horizontal straight
line shown in figure below, labelled as the low-frequency asymptote.
Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 15
 On the other hand ωc << ω (i.e. ω/ωc >>1)

Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 16

 Evaluating for various values of ω, we obtain the results
shown below:

• Plotting the above table values result in a straight line sloping

downwards and is labelled as high-frequency asymptote;
• Notice that the two straight line asymptotes intersect at the
high-power frequency ωc.
• For this reason, ωc is also known as the corner frequency.
Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 17
 Note: The slope of the high frequency asymptote is -20
dB/decade of frequency (This slope can also be stated as -6 dB
per octave).

 If we evaluate |H(jω)|dB at ω= ωc, we find that

  
H(j )    10 log1  c   3dB
c
 c 
Thus, the asymptotes are in error by only 3 dB at corner
frequency. The actual curve (red) for |H(jω)|dB is shown above.
Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 18
 Phase plot

 The phase is given by

 Evaluating ∠𝐻(𝑗𝜔) when ωc >> ω i.e. ω/ωc << 1, we find

that the phase approaches zero at low frequencies.
 When ω = ωc (at corner frequency)

 When ωc << ω i.e. ω/ωc >> 1, then ∠𝐻(𝑗𝜔) approaches to -90ο

at high frequencies

Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 19

 Figure below shows a plot of phase versus frequencies for the
first order lowpass filter. The phase plot can be approximated
by the following straight-line segments:
 A horizontal line at zero for ω < ωc/10
 A sloping line from zero phase at ωc/10 to -90ο at 10ωc.
 A horizontal line at -90ο for ω > 10ωc.

 The actual phase curve departs from these straight line

approximations by less than 6
Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 20
 Example 1
 Sketch the approximate straight-line Bode magnitude and
phase plots to scale for the circuit shown below:
Magnitude Plot
R=159 Ω
+

+ vout
vi - C =1mF
-

Phase Plot

Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 21

 Example 2
 Sketch the approximate straight-line Bode magnitude plot
for

 At ω=a, |H(jω)|dB = 0; At ω=10a, |H(jω)|dB = 20 dB;

At ω=100a, |H(jω)|dB = 40 dB;
 Thus, the value of |H(jω)|dB increases 20 dB for every
10-fold increase in frequency
Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 22
  The asymptote therefore has a slope of 20 dB/decade.
 Since |H(jω)|dB increases by 6 dB when ω doubles, an
alternate value for the slope is 6 dB/octave

Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 23

 Example 3
 Obtain the Bode plot for the transfer function H(s) = 20 + 0.2s
 Putting this in standard form, we obtain

ω (log scale)

ω (log scale)
Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 24
 Example 4
 Bode plots of a differentiator and a Integrator
Diffentiator Integrator

ω (log
ω (log
scale)
scale)

Both plots are infinitely long straight line passing

Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia through 0 dB at ω = 1 and having slope ±20 dB/decade. 25
 Example 5
 Construct a Bode magnitude plot for

𝜔𝑐1= 10 rad/sec 𝜔𝑐2= 20000 rad/sec

𝜔𝑐1= 10 rad/sec 𝜔𝑐2= 20000 rad/sec

ω (log
scale)

Overall Bode
magnitude Plot
ω (log
scale)
  Construct a phase plot for

 2s
H ( s) 
 s  s 
 1   1   ω (log
 10  20000 
scale)
 2 j
H ( j ) 
 j  j 
 1   1  
 10  20000 
 j (2 )
H ( j ) 
 j  j 
 1   1  
 10  20000 
ω (log
The angle of the
scale)
numerator is a
constant, -90o angle
 Note
 The zeros and poles that we have been considering are
all first order terms such as s, 1/s, 1+0.2s, 1/(1+0.2s) and
so forth.
 We may extend our analysis to higher order poles and
zeros very easily
 A term 1/sn or sn yields a magnitude response that
passes through ω =1 with a slope of -20n dB/decade or
20n dB/decade respectively.
 The phase response for 1/sn is a constant angle of (-
90o)n. The phase response for sn is a constant angle of
(90o)n.
 Example 6
 The diagram below is a straight
line approximation to the Bode
magnitude for a particular
system. Determine the transfer
function in Bode form that could ω (log
scale)
have been this magnitude
response.

 There are three terms

 A constant term
 A zero at 20
ω (log
 A pole at 80 scale)

Zero

Pole
Constant
 How to find k?

ω (log
scale)

Number of decades between the corner frequencies

= log(80) – log(20) = 0.602
𝑦𝑑𝐵
= 20; ∴ 𝑦𝑑𝐵 = 20 x 0.602
𝑥
∴ 20 log(k) = 60dB - 𝑦𝑑𝐵 = 47.96 dB
47.96
47.96
𝑙𝑜𝑔10 (k) = ; ∴ k = 10 20 = 250
20
 Example 7

 Determine a transfer function

that could have the following
ω (log scale)
Bode magnitude response.

Decompose the above

magnitude response
 Example 8

 A transfer function G(s) is given by

(a) Rewrite G(s) in the Bode form:

(b) Determine an expression for the magnitude response

20log10|G(jω)|
(c) Determine an expression for the phase of response G(jω).

(d) Draw straight line approximations of Bode log magnitude

and phase plots of G(jω)
 Magnitude:

ω (log
scale)

Phase:
ω (log scale)
 Functions with a Complex Root Pair
 Consider the transfer function:

 We are interested in the case 𝜉 < 1, for then the roots

are complex conjugate:

 Let s→jω
 For the magnitude response, we have

 when 𝜔 ≪ 𝜔𝑜
This is the low
frequency asymtote
 when 𝜔 ≫ 𝜔𝑜

we have a slope of -40 dB/decade.

 This is the high frequency asymptote and the two
asymptotes intersect at 0 dB, ω=ω0
 If we let ω=ω0 (corner frequency), we have

 If  =1, a limiting case

 For  =0.5 ,

Resonance
Resonance
frequency:
𝜔𝑟 =𝜔𝑜 1 − 2𝜉 2
 Draw the asymptotic phase response for

 At corner frequency ω=ω0

 Phase response

Note: We observe that since we now have a pole pair, the magnitude and
phase slopes (-40 dB/decade and -90o/decade) are twice as large as those
of a single pole (-20 dB/decade and -45o/decade).
 Exercise 3
Q1: Sketch Bode plot fro each of the following:
1 1
(a ) 𝐻(𝑠) = 1 (b) 𝐻(𝑠) = 𝑠2 (c) 𝐻(𝑠) = 𝑠3 (d) 𝐻 𝑠 = 𝑆3 (e) H s =
10s+1

10 𝑠 4
(f ) H s = (g) H s = 10𝑠 + 1 (g) H s = + 1 (h) H(s) =
s+10 5 𝑠 2 +2𝑠+4

Q2: Find the transfer

function H(s) for which the
Bode plot in the figure
ω (log scale)
might represent the
magnitude.

Q3: Sketch the Bode Answer: ω (log sc

magnitude plot for the
transfer function:
Prof E Ambikairajah, UNSW, Australia 42
 Referencs
[1] Alexander, C. K., & Sadiku, M.N.O., (2013) “Fundamentals of
Electric Circuits”, 5th edition, McGraw Hill.
[2] Soboda, J & Dorf, R (2014) “Introduction to Electric Circuits”, 9th
edition, Wiley & sons.
[3] Ambikairajah E , (2015), “Circuits and Systems Lecture Notes”,
School of Electrical engineering and Telecommunications, UNSW,
Australia.
[4] Thomas, R. & Rosa, A(1998) “ The Analysis and design of Linear
circuits” , Prentice Hall.