Chapter 6:

Active Filters
Active Filters
1. Basic filter responses
2. Filter response characteristic-
Butterworth, Chebychev,
Bessel
3. Active low pass filter
4. Active high pass filter
5. Active band pass filter
6. Active band stop filter
7. Filter response measurement
Active filters?
Passing signals with certain
selected frequencies while
rejecting signals with other
frequencies.
Provides controllable cutoff
frequencies and controllable gain.
4 basic categories : low-pass,
high-pass, band-pass and band-
stop.
Basic Filter Response
Passband range of frequencies
allowed to pass through with minimum
attenuation ( < -3 dB)
Cutoff frequency the end of the
passband (point where response
drops -3 dB)
Stopband the end of the response.
Basic Filter Response
How close a tuned amplifier comes
to having the characteristics of an
ideal circuit depends on the quality
(Q) of the circuit.
The Q of a tuned amplifier is a
figure of merit that equals the ratio
of its geometric center frequency to
its bandwidth. By formula:
Active filter frequency-response curves
Active filter frequency-response
Each RC circuit is referred to as a pole.
Thus, a one-pole filter contains one RC
circuit, a two-pole filter contains two RC
circuits, and so on.
The order of an active filter indicates the
number of poles it contains.
The number of poles in a filter
determines its ultimate roll-off rate.
Break!! Peribahasa..
Low-Pass Filter

Actual filter responses depend on

the number of poles (number of RC
circuits contained in the filter).
Roll-off rate with steeper transition
region is good for better filtering of
unwanted frequencies.
Exact response depends on type of
filter and number of poles.
Low-Pass Filter
1
fc
2 RC
Basic LPF circuit
High-Pass Filter
A high-pass filter effectively blocks below fc and
allowing only the frequencies above fc to pass.
The same formula is used for the critical frequency
for both low and high pass filters.
 Band-Pass Filter
Allows frequencies between a lower critical
frequency (fc1) and an upper critical
frequency (fc2) to pass while effectively
blocking all others.
BW = f c 2 f c1
Centre frequency:

fo f c1 f c 2

Quality factor (Q) of band-pass

filter. Higher Q means narrower
bandwidth and better selectivity.
fo 1
Narrow-band (Q >10) and wide- Q or Q
band (Q <10). BW DF
Band-stop Filter
Opposite of a band-pass. Frequencies above
and below fc1 and fc2 are passed while
effectively blocking the frequencies
between.

Also known as
band-reject, band-
elimination filter.
 Filter response characteristics
Each type of filter response can be modified
through circuit components values to have either
Butterworth, Chebyshev or Bessel
characteristics.

Identified by
shape of
response
curve.
Butterworth

Very flat amplitude response in the

passband and roll-off rate -20
dB/decade.

Phase response is non-linear and

phase shift (time delay) varies
nonlinearly with frequency.

Normally used when all frequencies in

passband must have the same gain.
Chebyshev

Very rapid roll-off rate (greater than

-20 dB/decade).

Filters can be designed with fewer

poles and less complex circuitry.

Overshoot or ripples can be seen in

the passband of the frequency
response.
Bessel

Very linear phase characteristic

(the phase shift increases linearly
with frequency).

Almost no overshoot on the output

and normally used for filtering
pulse waveforms without distorting
the shape of the input waveform.
Damping Factor

Damping Factor (DF) of an active

filter circuit determines which
response characteristics the filter
exhibits (Butterworth, Chebyshev
or Bessel).

The filter can be a low-pass, high-

pass, band-pass or a band-stop
type.
Filter Response Characteristics
The output signal is fed back into the filter
circuit with negative feedback determined by
the combination of R1 and R2. The negative
feedback ultimately
determines the type
of filter response is
produced. The
equation below
defines the damping
factor.

DF = 2 - R1/R2
Cut-off frequency and Roll-off rate
Single pole (first-order) are the
same for low and high-pass
filters.

The numbers of poles

determine the roll-off rate.
One-pole has -20 dB roll-off,
Two-pole has -40 dB, Three-
pole has -60 dB and so on.
To obtain a filter with three poles (third-order) or more,
one-pole or two-pole filters are cascaded.
Example:

i) Third order filter cascade a second order and a

first order filters
ii) Fourth order filter cascade two second order
filters.
 Filter Response Characteristics
For 3-pole filter,
cascade 2-pole LP
and 1-pole LP (-60
dB/dec)

For 4-pole filter,

cascade 2-pole LP
and 2-pole LP (-80
dB/dec)
Butterworth characteristic is the most widely
used because of its maximum flat response.

Table above shows roll-off rates, damping

factors, and feedback resistor ratios for up to
sixth-order Butterworth filters.
Example
Determine the capacitance values required to produce an
fc=2680 Hz if all Rs are 1.8 kOHM. Select R feedback for
Butterworth response.
Example - solution
Both stages must have the same fc = 2680 Hz.
Assuming equal-value capacitors;
fc =
RC Therefore, C = Rf = 0.033 uF
CA1=CA2=CB1=CB2=0.033 uF
For Butterworth response,
Refer Table: (1st stage) DF=1.848 and R1/R2=0.152
Assuming R2=R4=1.8k,
R1=0.152R2=274
Refer Table: (2nd stage) DF=0.765 and R3/R4=1.235
Assuming R1=270
R3=1.235R4=2.22 k
 Active Low-pass filters One pole

Noninverting amplifier with closed-loop voltage gain in

the passband set by the values or R1 and R2.

R1
Acl ( NI ) 1
R2
Sallen-Key Low-pass filter Two pole

Cut-off frequency

1
fc
2 RA RBC ACB

If RA = RB = R and
CA = CB = C, then

1
fc
2RC
Cascaded
Low-pass
filter Three
& Four-pole
 Active High-pass filter One pole

The negative feedback

Circuit is as same as the low-pass filter with -20
dB/decade roll-off.
Sallen-Key High-pass filter Two pole

The positions of the resistors and capacitors are

opposite to those in low-pass configuration.
 Cascading High-pass filter

Six-pole high-pass filter consisting of 3 Sallen-Key

Two-pole stages (can achieved -120 dB/decade roll-off).
Active Band-Pass filter-
Cascaded Low-Pass & High-Pass Filter

Band-pass filter formed by cascading a two-pole high-

pass and a two-pole low-pass filter (does not matter in
which order the filters are cascaded).
 Cut-off Frequency

1
High-pass filter f c1
2 RA1 RB1C A1CB1

1
Low-pass filter fc2
2 RA2 RB 2C A2CB 2

Centre frequency fo f C1 f C 2
Multiple- feedback Band-pass filter

Maximum gain (Ao) at centre

frequency

1 R1 R3
fo
2 C R1 R2 R3

and R2
AO
2R1
 Active Band-stop filter

Multiple-feedback
band-stop

State-
variable
band-stop
Problem 1

Calculate the bandwidth of the filter

Problem 2

Perform the complete analysis of the amplifier

The End