Active Filters

Resource Persons:
Amna Arif
Ayesha Ali
Class: FA18 BEE A,B,C
Introduction
Filters are circuits that are capable of passing
signals within a band of frequencies while
rejecting or blocking signals of frequencies
outside this band. This property of filters is also
called “frequency selectivity”.
Filter circuits built using components such as
resistors, capacitors and inductors only are known
as passive filters.
Active filters employ transistors or op-amps in
addition to resistors and capacitors.
Advantages of Active Filters over Passive
Filters

1. Active filters can be designed to provide

required gain, and hence no attenuation as in
the case of passive filters
2. No loading problem, because of high input
resistance and low output resistance of op-
amp.
3. Active Filters are cost effective as a wide
variety of economical op-amps are available.
Applications

Active filters are mainly used in communication

and signal processing circuits.
They are also employed in a wide range of
applications such as entertainment, medical
electronics, etc.
Active Filters

There are 4 basic categories of active filters:

1. Low pass filters

2. High pass filters
3. Band pass filters
4. Band reject filters

Each of these filters can be built by using op-amp

as the active element combined with RC, RL or
RLC circuit as the passive elements.
Active Filters

The passband is the range of frequencies that are

allowed to pass through the filter.
The critical frequency, fc is specified at the point
where the response drops by 3dB from the
passband response (i.e. to 70.7% of the
passband response)
The stopband is the range of frequencies that
have the most attenuation.
The transition region is the area where the fall-off
occurs
 Basic Filter Responses

1. Low-pass filter

Allows the frequency

from 0 Hz to critical
frequency fH (also
known as cutoff
frequency).
Ideally, the response
drops abruptly at the
critical frequency fH. Ideal response
 Basic Filter Responses

1. Low-pass filter

In an RC low-pass
filter, the critical
frequency can be
calculated from the
expression:

1
fc  f H 
2RC
Basic Filter Responses

Passband

BW

Actual response
 Basic Filter Responses
2. High-Pass filter
Gain, Vo / Vi
Allows the frequencies
above the critical 1
frequency fL. (also
known as the cutoff
frequency. 0 fL f
Ideally, the response Stop Pass
rises abruptly at the band band
critical frequency
Ideal response
 Basic Filter Responses
2. High-Pass filter

In an RC high-pass filter, the critical frequency

can be calculated from the expression;

1
fc  f L 
2RC
Basic Filter Responses

Passband

actual response
 Basic Filter Responses

3. Band-Pass filter
Allows frequencies
between a lower Gain,
cutoff frequency (fL)
1
and an upper cutoff
frequency (fH).

0 fL fH f
Pass
Ideal response
band
Basic Filter Responses

V out (normalized to 1)

0.707

BW

f
f c1 f 0 f c2

actual response
 Basic Filter Responses
3. Band-Pass filter

Center frequency,
f c1  f c 2
f0 
V out (normalized to 1)
2
1

0.707

BW

f
f c1 f 0 f c2
 Basic Filter Responses
3. Band-Pass filter

Quality factor (Q) V out (normalized to 1)

is the ratio of
center 1

frequency fo to 0.707
the BW;
BW

f0
Q f c1 f 0 f c2
f

BW
Basic Filter Responses

[Vo / Vi ]

Gain,
4. Band-stop filter
Opposite of a band- 1
pass.
Frequencies above
fc1 (fL) and above
0 fL fH f
fc2 (fH) are passed
Stop
Ideal response
Basic Filter Responses
Gain (dB)
0
-3

f c1 f o f c2 f

BW
Actual response
Lecture 2: Filter Response Characteristics

Identified by the shape of the response

curve

• Passband flatness
• Attenuation of frequency outside the
passband

Three types:
1. Butterworth
2. Bessel
3. Chebyshev
Filter Response Characteristics

Av

Butterworth
Bessel
Chebyshev
f
 Filter Response Characteristics
1. Butterworth Response
• Amplitude response is very flat.
• The roll-off rate -20 dB per decade
(per filter order).
• This is the most widely used.
Av

Butterworth
Bessel
Chebyshev
f
 Filter Response Characteristics
2. Chebyshev
• Ripples.
• The roll-off rate greater than –20 dB.
• a nonlinear phase response.

Av

Butterworth
Bessel
Chebyshev
f
 Filter Response Characteristics
3. Bessel
• Linear phase response.
• ideal for filtering pulse waveforms.

Av

Butterworth
Bessel
Chebyshev
f
Filter Response Characteristics
Critical Frequency and Roll-off rate

• Greater roll-off rates can be achieved with

more poles.
• Each RC set of filter components represents
a pole.
• Cascading of filter circuits also increases the
poles which results in a steeper roll-off.
• Each pole represents a –20 dB/decade
increase in roll-off
Filter Response Characteristics
Single-pole
low-pass circuit
R
V in V out
C
R1

R2

First order (one pole) low pass filter

 Filter Response Characteristics
The number of filter poles can be increased by
cascading
RC RC RC
circuit circuit circuit

V in V out

R1 R3 R5

R2 R4 R6
Filter Response Characteristics
Active Low-Pass Filters

Basic Low-Pass filter circuit

At critical frequency,
R V out
Resistance =
capacitive reactance
i.e. Vs C
R  Xc
1 1
or R R
c C 2f c C
Active Low-Pass Filters

Basic Low-Pass filter circuit

So, critical frequency;

1
fc 
2RC
 Active Low-Pass Filters

Roll-off depends on
number the of poles.
Low Pass Response
 Active Low-Pass Filters

A Single-Pole Filter

One pole
R
R1 V in V out
Acl  1  C
R2
R1
1
fc  R2
2RC
Active Low-Pass Filters

A Single-Pole Filter

Gain (dB)
0
-3
20 dB/decade

- 20
fc 10f c f
 Active Low-Pass Filters
The Sallen-Key • second-order (two-pole) filter
• roll-off -40dB per decade

RA RB CA
V in V out
CB
R1
Two-pole
Low-pass R2
circuit
Active Low-Pass Filters

The Sallen-Key

1
fc 
2RC

1
fc 
2 RA RB C AC B

For RA = RB = R and CA = CB = C;
Active Low-Pass Filters

Example

For the following circuit;

• Determine critical frequency
• Set the value of R1 for Butterworth
response
 Active Low-Pass Filters

Example (cont’d)
Active Low-Pass Filters

Solution
• Critical frequency

1
fc   7.23 kHz
2RC
Active Low-Pass Filters

Solution

R1  0.586 R2 R1  586 kΩ
• Butterworth response from Table 15.1 Floyd,
page 744, R1/R2 = 0.586;
 Active Low-Pass Filters

Cascaded LPF – Three-pole

• cascade two-pole and single-pole
• roll-off -60dB per decade

R A1 R B1 C A1
R A2
C B1
R1 C A2
R3

2 poles R2 1 poles
R4
 Active Low-Pass Filters

Cascaded LPF – Four pole

• cascade two-pole and two-pole
• roll-off -80dB per decade

R A1 R B1 C A1 C A2
R A2 R B2
C B1
R1 C B2
R3
R2
2 poles 2 poles R4
Active Low-Pass Filters
Example
For the fourth order filter circuit shown in the
following figure, determine the capacitance values
required to produce a critical frequency of 2680 Hz
if all resistors in RC low pass circuit is 1.8 k.
 Active Low-Pass Filters
Example (cont’d)

R A1 R B1 C A1 C A2
R A2 R B2
C B1
R1 C B2
R3
R2
2 poles 2 poles R4
Active Low-Pass Filters
Example – SOLUTION

1 1
fc  C  0.033 μF
2RC 2f c R

C A1  C B1  C A 2  C B 2  0.033 μF
Active High-Pass Filters

Basic High-Pass circuit

At critical frequency, C V out
Resistance
= capacitive reactance R
Vs
i.e; R  Xc
1 1
or; R or; R
c C 2f c C
Active High-Pass Filters

Basic High-Pass circuit

So, critical frequency ;

C V out
1
fc 
2RC Vs R
Active High-Pass Filters

High Pass Response

Roll-off
depends on
number the
of poles.
Active High-Pass Filters

A Single-Pole Filter

R1 C
Acl  1 
R2 R
R1

1
fc  R2
2RC
Circuit
Active High-Pass Filters

A Single-Pole Filter
Gain (dB)

0
-3
Response
curve

- 20 f
fc
Active High-Pass Filters

The Sallen-Key
• second-order (two-pole) filter
• roll-off -40dB per decade
Active High-Pass Filters
The Sallen-Key

RA
CA CB
V in V out
RB
R1

Two-pole high-pass
circuit
R2
Active High-Pass Filters
The Sallen-Key

1
fc 
2 RA RB C AC B

Lets RA = RB = R and CA = CB = C;

1
fc 
2RC
Active High-Pass Filters
Cascaded HPF – Six pole
• cascade 3 Sallen-Key two-pole stages
• roll-off -120 dB per decade
 Active Band-Pass Filters
A cascade of a low-pass and high-pass filter.

R A1 C A2
C A1
R A2 R B2
V in C B1
R B1 V out
R1 C B2
R3
R2
Two-pole high-pass Two-pole low-pass R4
 Active Band-Pass Filters

A v (dB)
Low-pass response High-pass response
0

-3

f c1 fo f c2 f
Active Band-Pass Filters

1
f c1 
2 RA1 RB1C A1C B1

1
f0  f c1 f c 2 fc2 
2 RA 2 RB 2C A2C B 2
Active Band-Pass Filters

C1
R2

R1 C2

V in
V out
R3
 Active Band-Pass Filters

Multiple-Feedback BPF
• The low-pass circuit consists of R and C .
1 1
• The high-pass circuit consists of R and C .
2 2
• The feedback paths are through C and R .
1 2
• Center frequency;

1
f0 
2  R1 // R3  R2C1C2
 Active Band-Pass Filters
State-Variable BPF
State-Variable BPF is widely used for band-pass
applications.
 Active Band-Pass Filters

State-Variable BPF
• It consists of a summing amplifier and two
integrators.
• It has outputs for low-pass, high-pass, and
band-pass.
• The center frequency is set by the integrator
RC circuits.
• R5 and R6 set the Q (bandwidth).
Active Band-Pass Filters

The band-pass output peaks sharply the

center frequency giving it a high Q.
 Active Band-Stop Filters

The BSF is opposite of BPF in that it blocks a

specific band of frequencies.
The multiple-feedback design is similar to a BPF
with exception of the placement of R3 and the
addition of R4.
Active Band-Stop Filters

C1
R2
R1 C2
V in
R3
V out
R4
Filter Response Measurements

Measuring frequency response can be performed

with typical bench-type equipment.
It is a process of setting and measuring
frequencies both outside and inside the known
cutoff points in predetermined steps.
Use the output measurements to plot a graph.
More accurate measurements can be performed
with sweep generators along with an oscilloscope,
a spectrum analyzer, or a scalar analyzer.
Summary

• The bandwidth of a low-pass filter is the same

as the upper critical frequency.
• The bandwidth of a high-pass filter extends
from the lower critical frequency up to the
inherent limits of the circuit.
• The band-pass passes frequencies between
the lower critical frequency and the upper
critical frequency.
Summary

• A band-stop filter rejects frequencies within

the upper critical frequency and upper critical
frequency.
• The Butterworth filter response is very flat
and has a roll-off rate of –20 B
• The Chebyshev filter response has ripples and
overshoot in the passband but can have roll-
off rates greater than –20 dB
Summary
• The Bessel response exhibits a linear phase
characteristic, and filters with the Bessel
response are better for filtering pulse
waveforms.
• A filter pole consists of one RC circuit. Each
pole doubles the roll-off rate.
The Q of a filter indicates a band-pass filter’s
selectivity. The higher the Q the narrower the
bandwidth.
• The damping factor determines the filter
response characteristic.
Active Filters
EXAMPLE

With reference to the following circuit;

i. Name the type of circuit. Determine the
critical frequency
ii. Modify the circuit to increase roll-off to
120dB/decade.
iii. Convert the circuit to become a high pass
filter.
Active Filters
EXAMPLE (cont’d)
 Active Filters
SOLUTION
(i)

Type of circuit:
FOUR-POLE LOW-PASS ACTIVE FILTER

Critical frequency
RA  4.7 k; RB  6.8 k;

C A  0.22 μF; C B  0.1 μF

Active Filters
SOLUTION (cont’d)

1
fc 
2 RA RB C AC B

1

2 4.7 k  6.8k  0.22μ  0.1μ

 189 Hz
Active Filters
SOLUTION (cont’d)
(ii) Modification
Add the following 3rd stage to the output
of the 2nd stage
Active Filters

SOLUTION (cont’d)
C5
0.22 mF
R9 R 10

4.7 kW 6.8 kW
C6 R 11 6.8 kW
0.1 mF

R 12 5.6 kW