Lab 8: Butterworth Filters

UC Davis Physics 116B

Rev 3/11/2018

Introduction
As we discussed in class, Butterworth filters are a class of filters characterized by a transfer function
with a magnitude

1
|g(f )| = r  2n
1 + ff0

where f0 is the 3dB cutoff frequency and n is the order of the filter. In this lab, you will build and
test first, second, and third order Butterworth filters.

First Order Butterworth Filter (Low-pass RC Filter)

A first order Butterworth filter is just a low pass RC filter, so for this section, you will simply repeat
a measurement from last quarter by constructing the following simple circuit.

Use R = 1.5kΩ and C = .01µF . For your write-up, show that in s-space, the transfer function is
given by

1
g(s) = 
s

1+ s0

where s0 = 1/(RC), and that the magnitude of the frequency response is therefore

1
|g(f )| = r  2
1 + ff0

where f0 = 1/(2πRC). You will need to drive the circuit with a sine wave from the function
generator, because you’ll need frequencies higher than the proto-board can produce.

1
Calculate the -3dB frequency f0 [Hz], then measure the response in an logarithmic progression of
frequencies
" #
f0 f0 f0 f0
f= , , , , f0 , 3f0 , 10f0 , 30f0 , 100f0
100 30 10 3

Plot your results on a dB1 scale and verify that they match expectations.

Second Order Butterworth Filter

We showed in class that a second-order Butterworth filter should have the following poles in the
s-plane

which give a transfer function of the form

1
g(s) = √
s2 + 2s + 1

As shown in the Appendix, the following circuit

1
dB(f ) = 20 log10 (g(f )/g(0))

2
has the transfer function
A
g(s) =  2  
s s
s0
+ (3 − A) s0
+1
where s0 = 1/(RC) and A is the gain of the op amp circuit, given by

R2
A=1+
R1

Construct the circuit using the LM341 op amp, and the same R and C values√ from the first section.
Choose values for R
√ 1 and R 2 to make the coefficient of s as close to 2 as possible (i.e set the
gain to A = 3 − 2).
First measure the DC gain and verify that A has the correct value. Then measure the response over
the same frequency range in the first section. Note, unlike the passive filter, there will be an overall
gain to this circuit, so divide this out and plot and plot |g(f )|/|g(0)| on a dB scale. Verify that the
magnitude of the response function has the form
1
|g(f )| ∝ r  4
1 + ff0

Third Order Butterworth Filter

A third order Butterworth filter has three poles in the s-plane

and is described by a transfer function of the form

1
g(s) =
(s2 + s + 1) (1 + s)

Construct this filter by adding the first order filter of the first section to the second order filter from
the second section. You will also have to modify R1 and R2 to give the correct coefficient for s
(hint: just make them equal).

3
Again, use a DC signal to verify the gain A, then measure the response over the same frequency
range in the first sections and plot |g(s)|/|g(0| on a dB scale. Verify that the magnitude of the
response function has the form
1
|g(s)| ∝ r  6
1 + ff0

For your lab report, plot the response of all three filters on the same dB plot.

4
Appendix: Second Order Active FIlter
To calculate the transfer function of the following circuit

we apply the current sum rules at points 1 and 2

Vin − V1 Vout − V1 V2 − V1
+ 1 + = 0 → Vin − (2 + sRC)V1 + V2 + sRCVout = 0
R sC
R

V2 − V1 V2
+ 1 = 0 → V1 = (1 + sRC)V2
R sC

Substituting (1 + sRC)V2 for V1 in the first equation gives

Vin = [(2 + sRC)(1 + sRC) − 1] V2 − sRCVout

We now recognize that the final stage is just a non-inverting op-amp circuit, with a gain of A =
(1 + R2 /R1 ), so we substitue Vout /A for V2 , and expand the polynomial to get

A
Vout = Vin
(sRC)2 + (3 − A)sRC + 1

This circuit is a powerful tool in building filters, because we can tune then the linear coefficient of
s by simply adjusting the gain of the last stage, thereby placing a pair of complex poles wherever
we want.