Filter Design by the Image Parameter Method

EE634: RF Circuit Design Instructor: Dr. A. Ege Engin

Image Impedance
Using the image impedance, we find the passbands and stopbands of a two-port network, similar in concept to periodic structures. Definition of the image impedances 1 and 2 :

Thus, both ports are matched when terminated in their image impedances.

A two-port network terminated in its image impedances.

Derivation of the Image Impedances

Port voltages and currents in terms of ABCD parameters: The input impedance at Port 1, when port 2 is terminated as in the figure:

Inverting the ABCD matrix we get:

Then, the input impedance at Port 2, when port 1 is terminated as in the figure:

Solution of these two equations for the two unknowns yields:

Voltage Transfer Function

Next we derive the voltage transfer function assuming that the network is terminated with its image impedances. The voltage transfer function can be found as:

A two-port network terminated in its image impedances and driven with a voltage generator

Propagation Factor
Similar to the voltage transfer function, we can find the current transfer function as: The term / can be considered as a transformer turns ratio. Note that for symmetrical networks = . We define a propagation factor as Or equivalently as

Constant- Filters
We now define low-pass and high-pass filter sections based on the image impedance. Similar to periodic structures, when the propagation factor = + is real, the filter is in stopband; when it is imaginary, the filter is in passband. Next we show how to choose and based on the required cut-off frequency and the system impedance 0 .

Why are these filters low pass?

Low-pass constant-k filter sections in T and form. (a) T-section. (b) -section.

-Network
The image impedance can be found for the -network from the table in the previous slide as The cut-off frequency is defined as: Nominal characteristic impedance is defined as: We can then rewrite the image impedance as: The propagation factor is obtained as:

Passband and Stopband Characteristics

is real, = is imaginary, = +

Typical passband and stopband characteristics of the low-pass constant-k sections

High-Pass Filters
For this case, the design equations can be found as:

High-pass constant-k filter sections in T and form. (a) T-section. (b) -section.

Summary
The stopband and passband characteristics of simple - and - networks can be derived using the image parameters. The filter is designed based on the cut-off frequency of the filter and the system impedance 0 A major disadvantage of this filter is that the image impedance equals 0 only at dc, otherwise it varies with frequency. Also, the attenuation is small near cut-off frequency.