ACTIVE FILTERS

LOW PASS
HIGH PASS
 BAND PASS
 Passive filters

RC low pass filter RC high pass filter

Cascade many of such filters to design the higher
order filters, output will be even much lesser than
the input.
Cuf off frequency of such passive filters will also
depend upon the load. So , depending upon the
load value the cut off frequency will get modified.
These problems can be overcome by using active
filters.
These active filters not only selectively passes the
certain band of frequencies but it also provides
the gain to the input signal. These active filters
are designed by using active components like
opamp and transistor.
Because of these characteristics, use opamp as a
buffer to isolate the load from the filter circuit or
may be use to isolate the different stages of the
filter.
Opamp as a buffer:
Configure opamp as a voltage follower circuit, it
will act as a buffer. In this configuration output
will be equal to input. Then gain of the opamp is 1.
In this configuration filter circuit is connected
with non inverting terminal of opamp. This
opamp will act as a buffer between the load and
the filter circuit. Gain =1.
To amplify the filter output, configure opamp like
this. Here gain is 1+(Rf/R1). By changing the
values of Rf and R1 , change the gain of the opamp
Cut off frequency
of low pass filter:

fc= 1/2πRC
Transfer function:
frequency response of Active low pass filter

1.Very similar to passive

low pass filters.
2. At cut off frequency fc
output will be in 0.707
times the maximum
value.
By using opamp, we can
isolate the load and filter
circuit.
Input given to the circuit is
coming from another
circuitry.
In that case, depending upon
the impedance of the circuit
the cut off frequency of this
filter will get changed.
To avoid that, provide this
input to the filter by using a
buffer circuit. To eliminate
this one more buffer connect
the capacitor in the feedback
path.
At low frequency
(zero frequency) Xc=
infinity

Gain = 1+Rf/R1

At high frequency
Xc=0
Acts like voltage
folllower.

Gain=1
Vout=Vin

By using this
configuration , avoid
the effect of loading
from the input stage
Transfer function
Frequency response of active
high pass filter

It is very similar to passive high

pass filter.
It rejects the low frequency
component and pass the high
frequency component upto
infinity.
But in the actual it will not pass
all the frequencies upto infinity.
The frequency response is
limited by the electrical
components in the design. Here
it is limited by the gain
characteristics of opamp.
 LOW PASS FILTER HIGH PASS FILTER BAND PASS FILTER

Passes only the low Passes only the high Passes only certain band
frequency components. frequency components. of frequencies.
It rejects all the
frequencies which is
outside of this band.
The input impedance of this high pass filter will affect the fc
of this low pass filter . Viceversa the input impedance of this
low pass filter will also affect the fc of this high pass filter .
Because of the cascade connection of these passive filters,
the actual fc will slightly differ. To avoid that isolate the two
stages by using buffer.