UNIT 5

FILTERS
 Filter
A filter is a circuit capable of passing (or amplifying) certain frequencies
while attenuating other frequencies. Thus, a filter can extract important
frequencies from signals that also contain undesirable or irrelevant
frequencies.
In the field of electronics, there are many practical applications for filters.
Examples include:
•Radio communications: Filters enable radio receivers to only "see" the
desired signal while rejecting all other signals (assuming that the other
signals have different frequency content).
•DC power supplies: Filters are used to eliminate undesired high frequencies
(i.e., noise) that are present on AC input lines. Additionally, filters are used
on a power supply's output to reduce ripple.
•Audio electronics: A crossover network is a network of filters used to
channel low-frequency audio to woofers, mid-range frequencies to midrange
speakers, and high-frequency sounds to tweeters.
• PASSIVE FITERS
ACTIVE FITERS
 PASSIVE FILTER
Introduction
• Made up of Passive components such as
resistors, capacitors and inductors.
• No amplifying elements and no signal gain.
• Not restricted by the bandwidth limitation and can
be used at very high frequencies.
• Can handle larger current or voltage levels than
active devices.
• Buffer amplifier might be required.
PASSIVE LOWPASS FILTER

It’s passes low

frequencies but
rejects high
frequencies.
What is a filter?
a) Frequency selective circuit
b) Amplitude selective circuit
c) Frequency damping circuit
d) Amplitude damping circuit
Vout = 500 mV, and Vin = 1.3 V. The ratio Vout/ Vin expressed in dB is

(A) 0 dB
(B) 8.30 dB
(C) -8.30 dB
(D) 0.8 dB
• This "Cut-off", "Corner" or "Breakpoint" frequency
is defined as being the frequency point where the
capacitive reactance and resistance are equal.
R = XC (for the RC filter), or R = XL (for the RL
filter).
• When this occurs the output signal is attenuated
to 70.7% of the input signal value or -3dB (20 log
(Vout/Vin)) of the input. Although R = Xc, This is
because the output voltage is attenuated by a
factor of 0.707 of the input. Vout/Vin = 1/√2 = 0.707.
• When the frequency of the input signal increases,
the capacitor’s reactance decreases and the
capacitor draws more current, which in turn
causes the output voltage drop.
The maximum output voltage of a certain low-pass filter is 15
V. The output voltage at the critical frequency is

(A) 0 V
(B) 15 V
(C) 10.60 V
(D) 21.21 V
• As the filter contains a capacitor and produces a
delay. This is due to the time taken to charge the
plates of the capacitor as the input voltage
changes, resulting in the output voltage (the
voltage across the capacitor) "lagging" behind
that of the input signal.
• The Phase Angle (Φ) of the output signal LAGS
behind that of the input.
• At the cutoff frequency, the output voltage lags
by -45 .
• The higher the input frequency applied to the
filter the more the capacitor lags and the circuit
becomes more and more "out of phase".
In a certain low-pass filter, fc = 3.5 kHz. Its passband is

A. 0 Hz to 3.5 kHz
B. 0 Hz
C. 3.5 kHz
D. 7 kHz
What are filters created by using resistors and capacitors
or inductors and capacitors called?
a) Active filters
b) Passive filters
c) Continuous filters
d) Differential filters
 The magnitude of H:

At cut-off frequency, the magnitude is

 Phase of H

The angular cutoff Frequency C = 2 fC and cut-

off frequency is
Find the cut off frequency for an RC low pass filter of R=8.2Ω
and C=0.0033μF?
a) 6KHz
b) 5.88KHz
c) 4.26KHz
d) 7.91KHz
The magnitude of H:
As the frequency increases, XL also increases, thus
increasing the total impedance of the filter. Since R
doesn't change, more and more of the signal are
dropped across L at higher frequencies, leaving
less and less across R and available at VOUT.
The inductor produces a delay. At very low
frequency, the output voltage follows the input.
When frequency rises, the output start lagging the
input with 45 .
Phase of H

Cut-off frequency
PASSIVE SINGLE POLE HIGH-
PASS FILTER
It’s passes high frequencies but rejects
low frequency.
An RC high-pass filter consists of a 120 Ω resistor and a
0.002 μF capacitor. The circuit's critical frequency is

(A) 333 kHz

(B) 633 kHz
(C) 331 kHz
(D) 60 kHz
 When input voltage is very low in frequency, the
capacitor’s reactance is very high, and hardly any
signal is passed to the output.
When the frequency rises. The capacitor reactance
decreases, and a little attenuation at the output.
The signal is attenuated or damped at low
frequencies with the output increasing at
+20dB/Decade (6dB/Octave) until the frequency
reaches the cut-off point (ƒc) where again R = Xc. It
has a response curve that extends down from infinity
to the cut-off frequency, where the output voltage
amplitude is 1/√2 = 70.7% of the input signal value or
-3dB (20 log (Vout/Vin)) of the input value.
At very low frequency the output leads the input
in phase 90 .
When the frequencies rises to the cut-off
frequency, the output lead by 45 .
When the frequency goes toward infinity, the
phase approaches 0, the point where capacitor
acts like a short.
The magnitude of H:

Phase of H

Cut-off frequency
 PASSIVE RL HIGH- PASS
FILTER

The transfer function becomes

The magnitude of H:

Phase of H

The cut-off frequency

When the input is very low in frequency, the
inductor’s reactance is very low, so most of the
current is diverted to ground. The signal is
attenuated at the output.
When the frequencies rise, the inductor’s
reactance increases and less current is passed to
ground- the gain increases.
At low frequency the output leads the input in
phase by 90o. And the cut-off the output leads by
45o.
When the frequency goes to infinity, the phase
approaches 0, the point where inductor acts like
an open circuit.
 PASSIVE RCL SERIES
BAND PASS FILTER

RLC circuit as a series band-pass filter in series with the

line
 RLC band-pass filter acts to pass a narrow
range of frequencies (band) while attenuating or
rejecting all other frequencies.
Resonant Frequency (Center frequency),fr is the
frequency at XL=XC.
The point of maximum output gain is generally
the geometric mean of the two -3dB value
between the lower and upper cut-off points and is
called the "Centre Frequency" or "Resonant
Peak" value ƒr.
At resonance for a series circuit causes the
following:
• Total Reactive impedance XT is equal to
zero.
• Z = R.
• Total current (IT) is maximum.
• Phase angle is 0o.
Quality factor (Q) is the ratio of reactance (XL or
XC) to resistance R at resonant frequency.
 Bandwidth (BW) is the ratio that used to
determine the range of frequency a resonant
circuit will be passed.

The cut-off points are at about 70% of the

maximum output voltage. These are called the
low-frequency cutoff and high-frequency cut-off.
BW
RLC circuit as a parallel band-pass filter in shunt
across the line
 PROPERTY SERIES RLC PARALLEL RLC
Resonant Frequency

Voltage Across R maximum at fR constant = V0

Current Through R constant = V0/R minimum at fR

Bandwidth

Impedance below Resonance Capacitive Inductive

Impedance above Resonance Inductive Capacitive

Effect of changing R increasing R increases BW increasing R decreases BW

Effect of changing L/C increasing L/C decreases BW increasing L/C increases BW

ACTIVE FILTER
No inductor
Made up of Op-Amps, resistor and capacitors.
Generally much easier to design.
High input impedance prevent excessive loading
of the driving source.
Low output impedance prevents the filter from
being affected by the load.
At high frequencies is limited by the gain-
bandwidth of the Op-Amps.
Easy to adjust over a wide frequency range
without altering the desire response.
ACTIVE SINGLE POLE LOW PASS
FILTER
Non-inverting unity gain, AV

Cut-off frequency:

Non-inverting with voltage

gain,AV

Inverting with voltage gain

Determine capacitance in active low pass filter circuit that has a gain of
ten at low frequencies, when a high frequency cut-off or corner frequency
of 159Hz and an input impedance of 10KΩ.

a. 100 nF
b. 90 nF
c. 159 n F
d. 10 kF
Determine R1 in active low pass filter circuit that has a gain of ten at
low frequencies, when a high frequency cut-off or corner frequency
of 159Hz and an input impedance of 10KΩ and R2 is 2 kohm.

a. 18 k ohm
b. 20 k ohm
c. 10 k ohm
d. infinite
ACTIVE SECOND ORDER POLE
LOW PASS FILTER

In second order filter, the circuit voltage gain and cut-off

frequency are the same with first order filter except that the
filter response drops faster with 40dB/decade compares
with first order in 20dB/decade.
ACTIVE SINGLE POLE HIGH PASS
FILTER Non-inverting unity gain, A V

Non-Inverting with
voltage gain

Inverting with voltage gain

ACTIVE TWO POLE HIGH
PASS FILTER
ACTIVE BAND PASS FILTER

The center frequency,

The quality factor,

What is the type of filter shown in the
figure?

a) Low pass filter

b) High pass filter
c) Band pass filter
d) All pass filter
What is the value of resistor for a high pass RC filter to produce a cutoff
frequency of3.4KHz if C = 0.047μF?
a) 654Ω
b) 1000Ω
c) 996Ω
d) 752Ω
 ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS)

An anti-lock braking system (ABS) is a safety anti-

skid braking system used on aircraft and on land
and vehicles, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks,
and buses. ABS operates by preventing
the wheels from locking up during braking, thereby
maintaining tractive contact with the road surface and
allowing the driver to maintain more control over the
vehicle.
The bandwidth in a ________ filter equals the critical frequency.

a. LPF
b. HPF
c. BPF
d. BRF/BSF
Design a non-inverting active low pass filter circuit that has a gain of ten at
low frequencies, a high frequency cut-off or corner frequency of 159Hz and
an input impedance of 10KΩ.
Identify what type of filter this circuit is, and calculate its cutoff
frequency given a resistor value of 1 kΩ and a capacitor value of
0.22 μF:
a. 723.4 Hz
b. 623.4 Hz
c. 0.22 Hz
d. 1 kHz.
In this passive filter circuit, how will the filter’s cutoff frequency
be affected by changes in the load resistance? Be as specific as
you can in your answer.

a. fcutoff will decrease as the load resistance decreases.

b. fcutoff will increase as the load resistance decreases.
c. fcutoff will not be affected as the load resistance decreases.
In this active filter circuit, how will the filter’s cutoff frequency
be affected by changes in the load resistance? Be as specific as
you can in your answer.

A. fcutoff will decrease as the load resistance decreases.

B. b. fcutoff will increase as the load resistance decreases.
C. c. fcutoff will not be affected as the load resistance decreases.
In this filter circuit, how will the filter’s cutoff frequency be
affected by changes in the potentiometer position? Be as
specific as you can in your answer.
Determine the type and cutoff frequency of this active filter
circuit.

A. HPF
B. LPF
C. BPF
D. BRF
What is the value of resistor for a high pass RC filter to produce a
cutoff frequency of3.4KHz if C = 0.047μF?
a) 654Ω
b) 1000Ω
c) 996Ω
d) 752Ω
The critical frequency is the frequency at which the response
drops from the passband by
(A) 20 dB
(B) 3 dB
(C) 6 dB
(D) 40 dB
Which of the following type of filters has a bandwidth same as the
critical frequency?
(A) low-pass
(B) high-pass
(C) band-pass
(D) band-stop
In a certain parallel resonant band-pass filter, the resonant
frequency is 10 kHz. If the bandwidth is 4 kHz, the higher
frequency
(A) 10 kHz
(B) 7 kHz
(C) 12 kHz
(D) Data insufficient
In a series resonant band-pass filter, a lower value of Q results in
(A) higher resonant frequency
(B) higher impedance
(C) smaller bandwidth
(D) larger bandwidth