ECE 113 Lecture 08:

Butterworth and
Chebyshev Filters
DESIGNING FILTERS USING ACTIVE BI -QUADS

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 1

Designing a
Butterworth
Filter

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 2

 Butterworth Filter
•All-pole filter of the form:
2
1
𝑇𝑛 𝑗𝜔 = 𝑇𝑛 𝑗𝜔 𝑇𝑛 −𝑗𝜔 =
1 + 𝜔 2𝑛

• 𝑇𝑛 𝑗0 = 1 for all 𝑛
• 𝑇𝑛 𝑗1 = 1/ 2
◦ 𝜔 normalized wrt 𝜔0

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 62

Butterworth Filter
• For 𝜔 > 𝜔0 , there will be an 𝑛-pole roll-off where the
attenuation increases by 20𝑛 dB per decade

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 4

 Pole Locations
1 1 1
𝑇𝑛 𝑗𝜔 𝑇𝑛 −𝑗𝜔 = 2𝑛
= 2𝑛 = 𝑛 2𝑛
1+𝜔 1 + 𝑠 ൗ 2𝑛 1 + −1 𝑠
𝑗
• Roots: 1 + −1 𝑛 𝑠 2𝑛 = 0

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 64

 Pole Locations
• Roots: 1 + −1 𝑛 𝑠 2𝑛 = 0
Filter Den. Poly.
Expansion of D(s) Stable Components (LHP poles)
Order D(s)

n=1 1 – 𝑠2 (1 + 𝑠)(1 – 𝑠) 𝑠 − 1 or 𝑠 − −1
1 + 2𝑠 + 𝑠 2 × 1+𝑗 1−𝑗
n=2 1 + 𝑠4 𝑠+ 𝑠+
1 − 2𝑠 + 𝑠 2 2 2

1 + 2𝑠 + 2𝑠 2 + 𝑠 3 × 1+𝑗 3 1−𝑗 3
n=3 1– 𝑠6 1+𝑠 𝑠+ 𝑠+
1 − 2𝑠 + 2𝑠 2 − 𝑠 3 2 2

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 6

Pole Locations
• Roots: 1 + −1 𝑛 𝑠 2𝑛 = 0

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 7

Designing a Butterworth Filter
• Ideally,
1
𝑇𝑛 𝑗𝜔 =
1 + 𝜔 2𝑛

1 1
𝑇𝑛 𝜔 = 1 = =
1 + 12𝑛 2

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 8

Designing a Butterworth Filter
• We generalize with,
2
1
𝑇𝑛 𝜔 =
1 + 𝜀 2 𝜔 2𝑛

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 9

Specifications

• Specs usually given.

◦ Attenuation 𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 /𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 (usually in dB) in Passband/Stopband
◦ Passband/Stopband Cutoff Frequencies 𝜔𝑝 /𝜔𝑠
• Circuit designer usually needs to determine the order 𝑛 of
the filter

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 10

Solving for 𝜀
𝛼𝑑𝐵 = −10 log 𝑇𝑛 𝜔 2 = 20 log 1 + 𝜀 2 𝜔 2𝑛

𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 = −10 log 𝑇𝑛 𝜔 = 1 2 = 10 log 1 + 𝜀 2

𝜀 = 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 1

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 11

Solving for Filter Order, 𝑛

𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 = −10 log 𝑇𝑛 𝜔𝑠 2 = 10 log 1 + 𝜀 2 𝜔2𝑛

𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 10 log 1 + 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 1 𝜔𝑠2𝑛

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 12

Solving for Filter Order, 𝑛
𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 10 log 1 + 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 1 𝜔𝑠2𝑛
0.1𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 = log 1 + 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 1 𝜔𝑠2𝑛

100.1𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 − 1 = 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 1 𝜔𝑠2𝑛

100.1𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 − 1
𝜔𝑠2𝑛 = 0.1𝛼
10 𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 1

log 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 − 1 − log 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 1

𝑛=
2 log 𝜔𝑠

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 13

New Normalizing Frequency
2
1
𝑇𝑛 𝑗𝜔 =
1 + 𝜀 2 𝜔Τ𝜔𝑃 2𝑛

• We ordinarily normalize to 𝜔𝑝 which is equal to 𝜔0 .

• Technically, this is not a Butterworth filter unless 𝜀 = 1.
• Make it look like a Butterworth filter with a new
normalizing frequency:
2
1 1
𝑇𝑛 𝑗𝜔 = 2𝑛 = 2𝑛
𝜔 𝜔
1 + 𝜀 1Τ𝑛 1 +
𝜔𝑃 𝜀 −1Τ𝑛 𝜔 𝑃

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 14

Example

• Build a Butterworth filter with

𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 0.5 𝑑𝐵 𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 20 𝑑𝐵
𝜔𝑝 = 1000 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠 𝜔𝑠 = 2000 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 15

Example
𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 0.5 𝑑𝐵 𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 20 𝑑𝐵
𝜔𝑝 = 1000 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠 𝜔𝑠 = 2000 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠

𝜀 2 = 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 1 = 0.122

log 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 − 1 / log 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 1

𝑛= = 4.83 ≈ 5
2 log 𝜔𝑠

First normalize to 𝜔𝑃
Later, denormalize to 𝜀 −1/𝑛 𝜔𝑃 = 1234 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 16

Example
𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 0.5 𝑑𝐵 𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 20 𝑑𝐵
𝜔𝑃 = 1000 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠 𝜔𝑠 = 2000 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠
𝜀 2 = 0.122 𝑛=5

2
1
𝑇5 𝑠 =
1 + 𝑠10
Stable components:
𝑠+1
𝑠 + 0.309 ± 𝑗0.951
𝑠 + 0.809 ± 𝑗0.588

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 17

Example
𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 0.5 𝑑𝐵 𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 20 𝑑𝐵
𝜔𝑃 = 1000 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠 𝜔𝑠 = 2000 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠
𝜀 2 = 0.122 𝑛=5

Transfer function:
1
𝑇5 𝑠 =
𝑠 + 1 𝑠 2 + 1.618𝑠 + 1 𝑠 2 + 0.618𝑠 + 1

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 18

Example
1 1 1
𝑇5 𝑗𝜔 =
𝑠 + 1 𝑠 2 + 1.618𝑠 + 1 𝑠 2 + 0.618𝑠 + 1
1 1 1
𝑄= 𝑄= 𝑄=
2 1.618 0.618

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 19

 Example
𝑍2 𝑅2
𝑇 𝑠 =− =−
𝑍1 𝑠𝐶2 𝑅1 𝑅2 + 𝑅1

Let 𝑅1 = 𝑅2 :

1
𝑇 𝑠 =−
𝑠𝐶𝑅 + 1

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 20

 Example
1
Let 𝜔0 = 𝜀 −1/𝑛 𝜔𝑃 = = 1234:
𝑅𝐶

𝐶 = 0.1 𝜇𝐹
𝑅 = 8.1𝑘Ω

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 21

 Example
1
𝜔02 =
𝐶1 𝐶2 𝑅1 𝑅2

𝑄 𝐶1 𝐶2 𝑅1 𝑅2
=
𝜔0 𝐶2 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 + 𝐶1 𝑅1 1 − 𝐾

Let 𝐶1 = 𝐶2 and 𝑅1 = 𝑅2

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 22

 Example
1 1 1 𝑄 1/𝜔02
𝜔0 =
𝑅𝐶
𝑄= = =
2 + 1 − 𝐾 1.618 𝜔0 2𝑅𝐶 + 𝑅𝐶 1 − 𝐾

𝐶 = 0.1 𝜇𝐹
𝑅 = 𝑅1 = 𝑅2 = 8.1 𝑘Ω

𝐾 = 3 − 1.618 = 1.382
𝑅𝐵
1+ =𝐾
𝑅𝐴
To compensate for the gain, let 𝑅1 be
a voltage divider:
𝑅3 1
=
𝑅1′ + 𝑅3 𝐾
𝑅1′ ||𝑅3 = 𝑅

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 23

Example
• Final second stage circuit.

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 24

Example
• Similarly, you can get the third stage:

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 25

Designing
Chebyshev
Type-1 Filters

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 26

Chebyshev Type-1
• Recall the transfer function:
1
𝑇𝑛 𝑗𝜔 =
1 + 𝜀 2 𝐶𝑛2 𝜔
• 𝐶𝑛 𝜔 - Chebyshev polynomial of order 𝑛.
𝐶𝑛 𝜔 = cos 𝑛 cos −1 𝜔
𝐶𝑛 𝜔 = cosh 𝑛 cosh−1 𝜔

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 27

Attenuation Response
𝛼𝑛 = −10 log 𝑇𝑛 𝑗𝜔 2 = 10 log 1 + 𝜀 2 𝐶𝑛2 𝜔

10 log 1 + 𝜀 2 cosh2 𝑛 cosh−1 𝜔

10 log 1 + 𝜀 2 cos 2 𝑛 cos −1 𝜔

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 28

Attenuation Response
• Calculate for 𝜀 given 𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 , 𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 , and frequency cut-
off is 𝜔 = 1:
𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 10 log 1 + 𝜀 2 𝐶𝑛2 1 = 10 log 1 + 𝜀 2
𝜀= 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 1
• Filter order, 𝑛, given 𝜔𝑠 :
𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 10 log 1 + 𝜀 2 cosh2 𝑛 cosh−1 𝜔𝑠
1
100.1𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 − 1 2
−1
0.1𝛼
= cosh 𝑛 cosh 𝜔𝑠
10 𝑚𝑎𝑥 −1
1Τ2
cosh−1 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 − 1 Τ 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 1
𝑛=
cosh−1 𝜔𝑠

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 29

Filter Order Comparison
• Butterworth:
log 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 − 1 Τ 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 1
𝑛=
2 log 𝜔𝑠
• Chebyshev:
cosh−1 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑖𝑛 − 1 Τ 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 1 1Τ2
𝑛=
cosh−1 𝜔𝑠

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 30

New 3dB Frequency
𝛼𝑛 = 10 log 1 + 𝜀 2 cosh2 𝑛 cosh−1 𝜔 = 3 𝑑𝐵
1 + 𝜀 2 cosh2 𝑛 cosh−1 𝜔 = 2
2 −1
1 −1
1
cosh 𝑛 cosh 𝜔 = 2 → cosh 𝑛 cosh 𝜔 =
𝜀 𝜀
−1
1 −1
1
𝜔 = cosh cosh
𝑛 𝜀
De-normalize:
1 1
𝜔 = 𝜔𝑃 cosh−1 cosh −1
𝑛 𝜀

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 31

Pole Locations
2
1
𝑇 𝑠 𝑇 −𝑠 = 𝑇𝑛 𝑗𝜔 =
𝑠
1 + 𝜀 2 𝐶𝑛2
𝑗
• Find 2n roots symmetric about the 𝑗𝜔 axis, roots in
LHP belongs to 𝑇 𝑠 .
• Roots of 𝑇 𝑠 are:
2𝑘 − 1 2𝑘 − 1
𝑠 = − sinh 𝑎 sin 𝜋 + 𝑗 cosh 𝑎 cos 𝜋
2𝑛 2𝑛
𝑠 = −𝜎𝑘 + 𝑗𝜔𝑘
1 −1
1
𝑎 = sinh
𝑛 𝜀

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 32

Pole Locations
2𝑘 − 1 2𝑘 − 1
1= sin2 𝜋 + cos 2 𝜋
2𝑛 2𝑛
𝜎𝑘 2 𝜔𝑘 2
1= +
sinh 𝑎 cosh 𝑎
• 𝜎𝑘 and 𝜔𝑘 represent the y- and the x-axis in the
complex s-plane.
• Equation above is satisfied if 𝜎𝑘 and 𝜔𝑘 form a root of
the Chebyshev polynomial. Therefore, Chebyshev poles
are part of a “unit” ellipse (area equal to 𝜋) in the
complex s-plane.

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 33

Pole Locations
𝑗𝜔
𝜎 2 + 𝜔2 = 1
𝜎 2 𝜔 2
+ =1
sinh 𝑎 cosh 𝑎

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 34

Pole Frequency and Q
1. Find 𝜀 and the degree 𝑛.
2. Determine 𝑎.
3. Compute sinh 𝑎 and cosh 𝑎
4. Find the Chebyshev poles
5. Calculate pole frequency and Q

𝜔0𝑘
𝜔0𝑘 = 𝜎𝑘2 + 𝜔𝑘2 𝑄𝑘 =
2𝜎𝑘

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 35

Example
• Design a Chebyshev filter to meet the requirements
𝑛 = 5 and 𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 0.5 𝑑𝐵 in 0 ≤ 𝜔 ≤ 1000 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠. The
passband gain is 0 𝑑𝐵.
• First step, calculate 𝜀:
𝜀 = 100.1𝛼𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 1 = 0.3493
• Next, the 𝑎 parameter:
1 −1
1
𝑎 = sinh = 0.35484
𝑛 𝜀

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 36

Example
• Poles:
2𝑘 − 1 2𝑘 − 1
𝑠 = sinh 𝑎 sin 𝜋 + 𝑗 cosh 𝑎 cos 𝜋
𝑛 𝑛
𝑠 = −0.36232
𝑠 = −0.11196 ± 𝑗1.01156
𝑠 = −0.29312 ± 𝑗0.62518
• Transfer function:
𝐾
𝑇 𝑠 =
𝑠 + 0.36232 𝑠 2 + 0.5862𝑠 + 0.4768 𝑠 2 + 0.2239𝑠 + 1.0358
𝐾 = 0.36232 ∙ 0.4768 ∙ 1.0358 = 0.1789
• Circuit
𝑘1 𝑘2 𝑘3
𝑇 𝑠 =
𝑠 + 0.36232 𝑠 2 + 0.5862𝑠 + 0.4768 𝑠 2 + 0.2239𝑠 + 1.0358

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 37

Recall
𝐻𝜔02
𝑇 𝑠 =
𝜔0
2
𝑠 + 𝑠 + 𝜔02
𝑄
• Set 𝐻 = 1 for unity gain
𝜔0 𝑐
• Comparing values: if 𝑏 = and 𝑐 = 𝜔02 , then 𝑄 = , and
𝑄 𝑏
𝑘𝑥 = 𝑐.
• Then the transfer function with a total gain of 0 𝑑𝐵 is:
0.36232 0.4768 1.0358
𝑇 𝑠 =
𝑠 + 0.36232 𝑠 2 + 0.5862𝑠 + 0.4768 𝑠 2 + 0.2239𝑠 + 1.0358
𝑇 𝑠 = 𝑇1 𝑠 ∙ 𝑇2 𝑠 ∙ 𝑇3 𝑠
0.4768 1.0358
𝑄1 = 0.5 𝑄2 = = 1.1775 𝑄3 = = 4.5455
0.5862 0.2239

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 38

Example
• Circuit implementation.

0.36232
𝑇1 𝑠 =
𝑠 + 0.36232
1
= 0.36232
𝜔𝑃 𝑅𝐶

𝑅 = 27.6 𝑘Ω
𝐶 = 0.1 𝜇𝐹

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 39

 Example
• Circuit implementation. 𝑅3 1 ′
0.4768 ′ = 𝑅1 ||𝑅3 = 𝑅
𝑇2 𝑠 = 2 𝑅1 + 𝑅3 𝐾
𝑠 + 0.5862𝑠 + 0.4768
1 𝑅1′ = 31.2 𝑘Ω 𝑅3 = 27.1 𝑘Ω
= 0.4768
𝜔𝑃 𝑅𝐶
𝑅 = 14.5 𝑘Ω
𝐶 = 0.1 𝜇𝐹
1
𝑄= = 1.1775 → 𝐾 = 2.1507
3−𝐾
𝑅𝐵
𝐾= +1
𝑅𝐴
𝑅𝐵 = 11.5 𝑘Ω 𝑅𝐴 = 10 𝑘Ω

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 40

 Example
• Circuit implementation. 𝑅3 1 ′
1.0358 ′ = 𝑅1 ||𝑅3 = 𝑅
𝑇2 𝑠 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅3 𝐾
𝑠 2 + 0.2239𝑠 + 1.0358
1 𝑅1′ = 27.3 𝑘Ω 𝑅3 = 15.3 𝑘Ω
= 1.0358
𝜔𝑃 𝑅𝐶
𝑅 = 10.0 𝑘Ω
𝐶 = 0.1 𝜇𝐹
1
𝑄= = 4.5455 → 𝐾 = 2.7755
3−𝐾
𝑅𝐵
𝐾= +1
𝑅𝐴
𝑅𝐵 = 17.8 𝑘Ω 𝑅𝐴 = 10 𝑘Ω

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 41

 Example
|T(jw)| |T(jw)|
20 50

X: 1059
Y: -3.01
0 0

-20 -50
Gain (dB)

Gain (dB)
-40 -100

-60 -150

-80 -200

-100 -250
0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
w (rad/s) w (rad/s)

1 −1
1
𝜔3𝑑𝐵 = 𝜔𝑃 cosh cosh
𝑛 𝜖
ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 42
Butterworth vs. Chebyshev
Butterworth Chebyshev
Maximally Flat response Equal ripple in passband
Monotonically in both passband and Monotonically in stopband
stopband
𝑇𝑛 𝑗0 = 1 for all 𝑛 1 𝑛 = odd
𝑇𝑛 𝑗1 = 0.707 for all 𝑛 𝑇𝑛 𝑗0 = ቐ 1
𝑛 = even
1+ 𝜀2
−3 𝑑𝐵 frequency changed with 𝑛
For large frequency, n-pole roll-off, i.e. For large frequency, n-pole roll-off, i.e.
attenuation, increases by 20𝑛 𝑑𝐵/𝑑𝑒𝑐 attenuation, increases by 20𝑛 𝑑𝐵/𝑑𝑒𝑐

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 43

 Butterworth vs. Chebyshev
Parameter Butterworth Chebyshev
Stopband 𝛼𝐵 = 10 log 1 + 𝜀 2 𝜔2𝑛 𝛼𝐶 = 10 log 1 + 𝜀 2 𝐶𝑛2 𝜔
Attenuation 𝐶𝑛 𝜔 ≈ 2𝑛−1 𝜔𝑛
𝜀 2 𝜔2 ≫ 1 𝛼𝑐 ≈ 10 log[1 + 2𝑛−1 𝜀𝜔𝑛 2 ]
𝛼𝑐 ≈ 20 log 2𝑛−1 𝜀𝜔
𝛼𝐵 ≈ 20 log 𝜀𝜔𝑛 𝛼𝑐 ≈ 6.02 𝑛 − 1 + 𝛼𝐵
Q-factor 1 2𝑘 − 1
𝑄𝐵 = cos 2 𝜋
2𝑘 − 1 1 2𝑛
2 sin 2𝑛 𝜋
𝑄𝐶 = 1+
2𝑘 − 1 sinh2 𝑎
2 sin 𝜋
2𝑛

2𝑘 − 1
cos 2 𝜋
2𝑛
𝑄𝐶 = 𝑄𝐵 1 +
sinh2 𝑎

ECE 113: COMMUNICATION ELECTRONICS 44

References
• C. Bowick, RF Circuit Design, 2nd ed. Newnes, 2008.
• D. Pozar, Microwave Engineering, 4th ed. John Wiley &
Sons, Inc., 2012

EEE 107: INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS 45