ACTIVE FILTERS USING OP-AMP
Filters are circuits that pass only desired band of frequencies and attenuates the undesired band
of frequencies. The filters are classified into
(a) Low Pass Filters (LPF) (b) High Pass Filters (HPF)
(c) Band Pass Filters (BPF) (d) Band Rejection Filters (BRF).
Filters can be active or passive type. Passive filters use only passive components such as
Inductors, Capacitors and Resistors. Whereas Active filters use Transistors or op-amps together
with passive components.
Also filters are further defined in terms of rate at which the output falls off at the edge of the
frequency range.
If the fall off rate is 20dB/decade, then the filter is called as First order filter.
If the roll-off is 40 dB/decade, then the filter is Second order filter.
If the gain fall is 60 dB/decade, then the filter is called third order filter and so on.
Advantages of Active Filters over Passive Filters
1. Because of high input impedance and low output impedance of op-amp, the active filters
doesn’t cause loading of the source or load. Hence we can have excellent isolation between
source and load.
2. Active filters are more compact and economical due to the absence of bulky costly inductors.
3. Due to the availability of modern IC’s, a variety of cheaper op-amps are available, hence we
can have cheap filters.(economical due to absence of bulky inductors)
4. The gain of the active filter can be easily controlled and also it is easier to tune or adjust the
active filter to any desired frequency compared to passive filters.
Limitations of Active Filters
1. The finite bandwidth of the active devices places a limit on the highest frequency of operation.
(Reasonably good performance can be achieved up to 1 MHz, however passive filters can be
used up to 500 MHz)
2. Active filters are very much sensitive to temperature and environmental changes, which
results in reduced efficiency
3. A constant d.c power supply is required for active filters.
First order Low Pass Filter (LPF)
A first order LPF can be obtained by adding a voltage follower between the passive filter and
load as shown, which in turn eliminates the loading problem.
The output voltage Vo of the filter is given by
Vo= I (jXC) =
At low frequencies XC1 >> R1 , the equation (1) gives the gain approximately 1
At higher frequencies XC1 < R1, the gain decreases. The frequency at which the output voltage
is decreases by 3 dB from its pass band gain is defined as Cut-off frequency fc of the filter.
At f = fc ; R1 = XC1, equation (1) becomes
At frequencies higher than fc, the gain of the circuit falls off at a rate of 20dB/decade.
Design procedure
For bi-polar op-amps like 741, 709 and 715 op-amps
For BIFET op-amps like LM108 and LF353 op-amps,
Assume C1 >> stray capacitance and let C1 = 1000pF, using the value of C1, determine R1 and R2.
In second order filter, the voltage gain after cut-off frequency rolls off at the rate of 40 dB /
decade. This steeper roll off is achieved by using C1R2 together with feedback from the output
via capacitor C2 to the junction of R1 and R2.
At low frequencies, XC1 and XC2 are much larger than R1 and R2 and they have no effect on the
circuit. So the output voltage is equal to the input voltage giving a voltage gain of 1.
At high frequencies, the effect of C1 and R2 causes the output to fall at the rate of 20 dB/decade
as the frequency increases.
The components R2 and C1 introduces a phase lag and a phase lead is introduced by C2
combined with (R1+R2). The result of these phase differences is that the feedback via C2
produces a further fall off (rolloff) of 20 dB/decade. The two gain reducing effects combine to
produce a fall off at the rate of 40dB/decade.
Design Procedure
For Bipolar op-amps 714, 715 and 709 op-amps
For BIFET op-amp LM 108, LF 353 op-amps,
Choose C1 >> stray capacitance and let C1= 1000 pF and C2 = 2C1 = 2000 pF. Using these values
calculate the
values of R1 and R2.
The most common active filters are Butterworth, Chebyshev and Bessel filters
Butterworth filter has a flat response that rolls off at 40 dB/decade. The initial roll off rate is quite gradual.
A Chebyshev has much sharper initial roll off, but the response curve dips and then peaks at the roll off point.
A Bessel filter has a performance similar to Butterworth, but a slower initial roll off. Also it has the smallest phase shift
between input and
output wave forms.
Question: Distinguish between I order and II order filters. Why in a III order filter
additional op-amp is required? Draw the circuit and plot of III order filter. {Dec-08 / 06
Marks}
Ans: First order has a single RC filter network and the roll off is limited to –20 dB /decade.
Second order filter has two RC filter networks with one in Capacitor in the feedback path. The
roll off is limited to –40 dB /decade.
If we use III RC network and the loop gain approaches to unity or more, the circuit / filter will
oscillate (unstable mode). Hence an additional op-amp is required.
III order filter = I order filter + II order Filter
Problem1: Design a second order low pass filter circuit using 741 op-amp to have a cut-off
frequency of 5 KHz. Draw its frequency response and comment on the same ( Bell Ex: 11.5)
[ Dec 10 / 8 M ]
Problem2 A second order LPF has R1= 56 k, R2 = 56 k, R3 = 120 k, C1= 600 pF and C2
= 1200 pF. Find the cut-off frequency. ( Bell Ex: 11.6) Ans [3.348 KHz]
Problem 3 Design a second order LPF to have a cut-off frequency of 1 kHz. [June/July2011 /
6M]Ans [use 741 op-amp, R1 = R2= 68 K, R3 = 150 K, C1= 1600pF and C2 = 3300pF]
Problem 4 Design a second order LPF with cut-off frequency 2.5 KHz using 709 op-amp.
Draw the circuit and indicate the frequency response of the filter.
Ans [for 709 op-amp; IB(max) = 200 nA R1 = R2= 180K,R3 = 390K, C1= 250pF and C2 =
500pF]
Problem 4 Design a second order LPF with cut-off frequency 2 KHz. Draw the circuit and
indicate the frequency response of the filter.[Dec09 / 10M]
The first order HPF is made up of a passive C1-R1 network and a voltage follower to isolate the
load.
At high frequencies XC1 is very much smaller than R1, there is virtually no attenuation, hence
the voltage gain is 1.
When the frequency drops to the point at which XC1 = R1, the voltage gain drops by 3 dB (with
respect to the pass band gain) and this frequency is called cut-off frequency fc.
As the frequency decreases further, the voltage gain rolls off at the rate of 20 dB / decade.
Problem5: Design a first order high pass active filter circuit to have a cut-off frequency of 5
KHz, use an LM108 op-amp and estimate the highest frequency that can be passed.
Solution: LM 108 op-amp can be considered as BIFET op-amp and
hence select C1 = 1000 pF,
Use R1 = R2 = 31.6 K
From the data sheet, for LM108, unity gain frequency is fu = 1 MHz,
Hence the upper cut off frequency or highest frequency
A second order HPF as shown in fig (a) is obtained by interchanging positions of resistors and
capacitors in the LPF circuit.
At high frequencies, XC1 and XC2 are very much smaller than R1 and R2, consequently C1, C2,
R1 and R2 have no significant effect on the circuit. The output voltage is equal to input, giving a
voltage gain of 1.
At low frequencies, the effect of C2 and R2 causes the output to increase at the rate of 20
dB/decade as the frequency decreases.
A phase lead is produced by C2 and R2 and a phase lag is generated by R1 and combined with
C1 and C2. So the feedback via R1 produces a further roll on 20 dB/decade and the total roll on
rate is 40 dB per decade from the stop band.