DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH
Name : A. Kishtanna
Designation : Sr. Lecturer in E C E
Branch : Electronics & Commn. Engg.
Institute : 062, GPW, Nizamabad
Semester : III Semester
Subject : Circuit Theory
Subject code : EC-303
Topic : Circuit transients & Linear wave shaping
Duration : 100 Mts.
Sub-topic : Expression for lower 3dBfrequency and
high pass RC circuit as differentiator
Teaching Aids : PPT,Circuits and diagrams
EC303.85 to 86 1
Objectives :

On completion of this period, you would be able to:

• Know the expression for 3 dB frequency

• Know how high pass RC circuit works as a differentiator

EC303.85 to 86 2
Recap:

• In the last periods we studied the high pass RC

circuit.

• Transient voltage and current in RC circuit for a

pulse voltage.

EC303.85 to 86 3
RC high pass circuit as differentiator

Vi Vo
i(t) R

Fig 85 & 86.1

• As shown in the figure AC voltage Vi is applied to the RC

circuit
EC303.85 to 86 4
• If the output is taken across the resister, then the high
frequency signals are passed out through the capacitor and
lower freq. are blocked.

• After applying KVL to the circuit, then.

• Vi = 1/C ∫i dt + Ri.

• By making the time constant RC small with respect to the

interval of applied voltage.

EC303.85 to 86 5
• Due to the above condition the capacitor charges and
discharges rapidly

• Hence the capacitor will essentially determine the value of

the current

• Therefore i is approximately equal to C dVi/dt -----(1)

• The output voltage is given by

• Vo = Ri = RC dVi/dt -----------(2)

• If RC value is small the output voltage is Proportional to the

derivation of the input
EC303.85 to 86 6
Expression for lower 3 dB frequency

• Consider the high pass RC circuit in frequency domain

• Let Vi(s) is the input voltage and Vo(s) is the output voltage
in frequency domain

• Let S = jω
= j2πf

• The circuit is shown in the next slide

EC303.85 to 86 7
 C1/SC
Vi(s) Vo (s)
R

Fig 85 & 86.2( High pass RC circuit in frequency domain)

EC303.85 to 86 8
• The transfer function of the above circuit using voltage
division rule can be found as

• Vo (s) / Vi (s) = R/(R + 1/SC)

= 1/(1 + 1/SCR) -----------(1)

• Substitute the value of S in the above equation, we get

• Vo (s) / Vi (s) = 1/(1 + 1/jω CR)

= 1/(1 + 1/j2πf CR)

= 1/(1 – j/2πf CR) -------------(2)

EC303.85 to 86 9
• From equation (2) the magnitude of Vo/Vi is given by

• |Vo/Vi| = 1/√1 + (1/2πfRC)2

• Let fL = 1/2πRC, then

• |Vo/Vi| = 1/√1 + (fL/f)2 ---------(3)

• The above equation relates the magnitude of voltage gain

and frequency of the input wave

EC303.85 to 86 10
Frequency response

• The characteristic drawn between voltage gain and frequency

is called as frequency response

• From equation (3) if f << fL, then

• (fL/f) >> 1 and the term under root in equation (3) is equal to

• |Vo/Vi| = 1/√ (fL/f)2

= f/fL

• |Vo/Vi| α f
EC303.85 to 86 11
• So for low frequency region the gain is proportional to the
applied input signal frequency

• As the frequency increases gain also increases

• From equation (3) if f >> fL, then fL/f << 1 and the term
under root in equation (3) is equal to 1

• |Vo/Vi| = 1

• For high frequency region the gain is constant and is equal

to unity

EC303.85 to 86 12
• From equation (3) if f = fL, then fL/f = 1 and the term under
root is equal 2

• |Vo/Vi| = 1/ 2

= 0.707

• So when the frequency of input signal is equal to fL, the gain

is 0.707 times of high frequency gain.

• The frequency where the gain is 1/√2 times high frequency

gain.

• Then it is called as lower 3 dB cut off frequency.

EC303.85 to 86 13
• Gain vs frequency is shown in the figure

|Vo/Vi|

1
0.707

f
0 fL
Fig.85 to 86(Frequency response)

EC303.85 to 86 14
Summary

• The characteristics of RC high pass circuit is studied

• It works as a differentiator

• At lower 3 dB cut off frequency the gain is reduced to 0.707

times of high frequency gain

EC303.85 to 86 15
Quiz

3. Inductor acts as --------- at zero frequency

(a) capacitor

(b) Short circuit

(c) Open circuit

(d) Resister

EC303.85 to 86 16
1. In high pass RC circuit the output is taken across

(a) capacitor

(b) Resister

(c) Inductor

(d) None

EC303.85 to 86 17
Questions

4. Explain how RC high pass circuit works as differentiator

7. Define the lower 3 dB frequency

10. Explain the relation between lower 3dB frequency and time
constant in high pass circuit

EC303.85 to 86 18