Chapter 7

Synthesis of RLC Impedances

We saw in the last chapter that the impedance function of an LC, RC or RL circuit
is a positive real function whose poles and zeros are restricted to the imaginary or
negative real axis. No such restrictions apply to an RLC impedance function. Its
poles and zeros can be anywhere in the left-half s plane. We also noted that the
synthesis of a two-element-kind impedance function amounts to partial fraction or
continued fraction expansion and the resultant circuit is canonical. In general, no
such expansion is known to exist for an RLC impedance function.
In this chapter we will present the Brune [12] realization of an RLC impedance
function. He was first to demonstrate that every positive real function can be real-
ized as the driving-point impedance of an RLC circuit, though ideal transformers are
needed. It is a canonical realization in that the number of elements equals the num-
ber of coefficients of the impedance function. A transformerless realization was first
reported by Bott-Duffin [9], but the number of elements required grows as O(2n/2 ),
where n is the order of the impedance function, and it is therefore not canonical.
Given an arbitrary positive real function, finding a canonical realization without
transformers is still an open question.

7.1 Brune synthesis

We begin with a positive real function Z(s) and perform a series of preliminary steps
to remove any and all poles and zeros on the jω axis, as follows.
1. If Z(s) has a pole at infinity, remove a series inductance and obtain a positive real
remainder Z1 (s).
2. If Z(s) has a pole at zero, remove a series capacitor and obtain a p.r. remainder
Z1 (s).
3. If Z(s) has a zero at infinity, remove a shunt capacitor from Y (s) = 1/Z(s) and
obtain a p.r. remainder Y1 (s).
4. If Z(s) has a zero at zero, remove a shunt inductor from Y (s) = 1/Z(s) and obtain
a p.r. remainder Y1 (s).

115
116 7 Synthesis of RLC Impedances

5. If Z(s) has poles at s = ± jω0 , remove a parallel LC impedance and obtain a p.r.
remainder Z1 (s).
6. If Z(s) has zeros at s = ± jω0 , remove a series LC admittance from Y (s) = 1/Z(s)
and obtain a p.r. remainder Z1 (s).
After all these removals, we are left with a remainder which does not have any poles
or zeros on the jω axis, including the points s = ∞ and s = 0. Such an impedance
function is called a minimum reactance and minimum susceptance function. Brune
synthesis begins at this point.
Let Z(s) be a minimum reactance, minimum susceptance positive real function.
For example,
3s2 + 3s + 6
Z(s) = 2 . (7.1)
2s + s + 2
1. Let ω0 be such that

min ℜ[Z( jω )] = ℜ[Z( jω0 )] = Rmin . (7.2)

ω

So ω0 is the frequency at which the minimum real part of Z( jω ) occurs. For the
example under consideration,
√
ω0 = 2, Rmin = 1 .

2. Remove Rmin to get a remainder Z1 (s), which is positive real.

s2 + 2s + 4
Z1 (s) = Z(s) − Rmin = . (7.3)
2s2 + s + 2
3. Since the real part of Z1 ( jω0 ) = 0, Z1 ( jω0 ) = jX. We now have two cases:
(A) X < 0 and (B) X > 0.

7.1.1 Case A: X < 0

For the running example, we have

√
Z1 ( jω0 ) = − j 2 = jX , (7.4)

and we have case (A).

4. Set the reactance X to be the reactance of an inductor L1 at jω0 :

jX = jω0 L1 , L1 = −1 . (7.5)

The inductance is negative but we proceed anyway.

5. Remove L1 from Z1 (s) to obtain Z2 (s).
7.1 Brune synthesis 117

2s3 + 2s2 + 4s + 4 (s2 + 2)(2s + 2)

Z2 (s) = Z1 (s) − sL1 = = . (7.6)
2s2 + s + 2 (2s2 + s + 2)

Z2 (s) is positive real since we have just added a positive real function −sL1 to Z1 (s),
and it has a pole at s = ∞. Moreover, it has a pair of zeros at s = ± jω0 because we
have removed the real and imaginary parts of Z( jω0 ) from Z(s) .
6. Invert Z2 (s) and remove the poles at ± jω0 to get a remainder Y3 (s).

1 s/L2 1 s/2 1
Y3 (s) = − = − = . (7.7)
Z2 (s) s2 + 1/L2C Z2 (s) s2 + 2 2s + 2

The second term is a series resonance circuit consisting of L2 = 2 H and C2 = 1/4 F.

7. The remainder impedance Z3 (s) = 1/Y3 (s) has a pole at s = ∞, because we created
one there when we removed a negative inductor from Z1 (s).

Z3 (s) = 2s + 2 = sL3 + Z4 (s) , (7.8)

with L3 = 2 H.
8. We have just completed one cycle of the Brune synthesis. The same procedure is
now applied to Z4 (s) and we repeat it until we have a remainder which is a constant,
i.e., a resistor. In the running example, Z4 (s) = 2Ω and the synthesized circuit is
shown Fig. 7.1a. The three inductors can be replaced by two coupled inductors with
unity coupling coefficient as shown in Fig. 7.1b.

−1 H 2H 1Ω
1Ω 2H

1H 4H
2H

Z(s) 2Ω Z(s) 2Ω
1/4 F 1/4 F

a b
Fig. 7.1 a Brune realization of a minimum-reactance and minimum susceptance positive real
function. b Replacing the three inductors with unity-coupled inductors

7.1.2 Ideal transformer

Brune’s strategy is to take a minimum-reactance and minimum-susceptance func-

tion and deliberately create a pair of zeros on the jω axis. The zeros are removed to
leave a remainder which is two degrees lower than the original function. The pro-
118 7 Synthesis of RLC Impedances

cess is repeated until we have a constant remainder. To create the zeros, we add an
inductance, thereby creating a pole at infinity, which is later removed. The resulting
circuit contains a negative inductance. However, the three inductors are equivalent
to an ideal transformer, as shown in what follows.
Consider Z3 (s), the remainder after the zeros are removed. It has a pole at s = ∞
whose residue is found from the following:

Z3 (s) 1/s −L1 L2

lim = lim = = L3 . (7.9)
s→∞ s s→∞ 1 1 L1 + L2
−
Z1 (s) − sL1 1
sL2 +
sC
Equation (7.9) shows that

L1 L2 + L2 L3 + L3 L1 = 0 (7.10)

and the inductances are not independent.

Let us look at the ”Tee” of the three inductors which has a terminal characteriza-
tion given as

V1 = s(L1 + L2 )I1 + sL2 I2 ,

V2 = sL2 I1 + s(L2 + L3 )I2 . (7.11)

The ”Tee” is equivalent to and can be replaced by two coupled inductors with pri-
mary inductance LA , secondary inductance LB and mutual inductance M, given by

LA = L1 + L2 LB = L2 + L3 M = L2 . (7.12)

The coupling coefficient is

|M| |L2 |
k= √ =p , (7.13)
LA LB (L1 + L2 )(L2 + L3 )

which is equal to unity if and only if the inductances satisfy Eq. (7.10). In fact,
under this condition, the terminal characterization becomes linearly dependent and
the voltages and the currents are related by, respectively:
M LA
V2 = V1 , I2 = I1 . (7.14)
LA M
So the coupled inductors become an ideal transformer of turns ratio M/LA .
7.1 Brune synthesis 119

7.1.3 Case B: X > 0

Consider a second example. Let Z(s) be a minimum reactance, minimum suscep-

tance positive real function:

2s2 + 2s + 5
Z(s) = . (7.15)
s2 + s + 4
The minimum resistance and ω0 are found to be
√
ω0 = 2 , Rmin = 1 .

Remove Rmin to get Z1 (s).

s2 + s + 1
Z1 (s) = Z(s) − Rmin = . (7.16)
s2 + s + 4
The reactance at jω0 is √
2
Z1 ( jω0 ) = j = jX , (7.17)
2
and we have case (B).
If we take out an inductor L1 = X/ω0 = 1/2 > 0 from Z1 (s), the remainder Z2 (s)
is not a positive real function. Instead, we proceed on an admittance basis.
Let Y1 (s) = 1/Z1 (s). Let Y1 ( jω0 ) = 1/( jX) = jB. Since X > 0, B < 0. We take
out a capacitance
B
C1 = = −1 (7.18)
ω0
from Y1 (s) and get a remainder

(s2 + 2)(s + 2)
Y2 (s) = Y1 (s) − sC1 = . (7.19)
s2 + s + 1
We will take care of the negative capacitance later. The important thing to note is
that Y2 (s) is p.r. and it has zeros at s = ± jω0 . Let Z2 (s) = 1/Y2 (s). Remove its poles
at s = ± jω0 and get a remainder:
1 1
Z3 (s) = Z2 (s) − = , (7.20)
1 2s + 4
sC2 +
sL
which is p.r., and Y3 (s) = 1/Z3 (s) has a pole at s = ∞. Remove a capacitor C3 = 2 F
and get a remainder
Y4 (s) = Y3 (s) − sC3 = 4 , (7.21)
which is a constant.
The circuit realization is shown in Fig. 7.2. We will show that the Π of capacitors
(together with L) can be converted to a ”Tee” of inductors (together with C), as
120 7 Synthesis of RLC Impedances

follows. With reference to Fig. 7.3, the two-port of the Π of capacitors can be

Rmin C2

C1 < 0 C3
- - - - -

Z(s) Y1 (s) Y2 (s) Y3 (s) Z4 (s)

Fig. 7.2 Brune synthesis on an admittance basis

L L1 > 0 L3 < 0
1 2
1 C2 > 0 2
L2 > 0

C1 < 0 C3 > 0
C

1’ 2’ 1’ 2’
a b

Fig. 7.3 Brune cycle on an admittance basis with a negative capacitance a is equivalent to a cycle
on an impedance basis with a negative inductance b

described by its open-circuit impedance parameters:

(C2 +C3 )Ls 1

z11 (s) = + ; (7.22)
(C1 +C3 ) (C1 +C3 )s
C2 Ls 1
z21 (s) = z12 (s) = + ; (7.23)
(C1 +C3 ) (C1 +C3 )s
(C2 +C1 )Ls 1
z22 (s) = + . (7.24)
(C1 +C3 ) (C1 +C3 )s

The open-circuit impedance parameters of the ”Tee” of inductors are:

7.1 Brune synthesis 121

1
z11 (s) = (L1 + L2 )s + ; (7.25)
Cs
1
z21 (s) = z12 (s) = L2 s + ; (7.26)
Cs
1
z22 (s) = (L2 + L3 )s + . (7.27)
Cs
Equating the parameters, we obtain a set of relations among the capacitances and
inductances, as follows.
C3
L1 = L > 0; (7.28)
C1 +C3
C2
L2 = L > 0; (7.29)
C1 +C3
C1
L3 = L < 0. (7.30)
C1 +C3
C = C1 +C3 > 0 (7.31)

So the Π of capacitors together with L is equivalent to the ”Tee” of inductors to-

gether with C. Moreover, the three inductances satisfy the equation:

L1 L2 + L2 L3 + L3 L1 = 0 ,

and the inductors can be replaced with two coupled coils with unity coupling coeffi-
cient, as shown in the final circuit of Fig. 7.4. This analysis shows that in the Brune
synthesis, when L1 > 0, we can proceed as the case of L1 < 0, taking out L1 and
leaving a non-positive-real remainder Z2 (s). At the end of the cycle, the remainder
Z4 (s) is two degrees lower and is a positive real function.

1/2 H −1/4 H 1Ω
1Ω 1/2 H

1H 1/4 H
1/2 H

1 1
Z(s) 4 Ω Z(s) 4 Ω
1F 1F

a b
Fig. 7.4 Brune realization of Case (B): X > 0