Band-Reject or Notch Active Filter

The band-reject, or notch filter, is used to eliminate a single frequency (narrow band) from a system. This
is exactly the opposite of the band-pass filter, which is to
pass one frequency or a group of frequencies within a
given bandwidth. Consequently, there are similarities
between the notch filter and the band-pass filter. Both
filters have a center frequency and a quality factor Q,
which implies a bandwidth B. The response of a notch
filter is the mirror image of the band-pass filter about the Figure 1 – Notch Filter Amplitude Response
frequency axis.
The diagram shows the response of a notch filter for a particular factor. The resonance frequency of the
band-pass response will equal the point of minimum response of the notch filter.

A VCVS Notch or Band-Reject Active Filter

The circuit shown in Figure 34 is that of a Narrow Band-Band Reject Filter (also called Twin-T Notch
Filter). The voltage transfer function of this
R3=R1//R2
circuit is
C1 C2

…………… (151) VI
( ) VO
R1 R2
nd
The general form for 2 order notch filter is
given by C3=C1+C2

…………… (152)
Figure 2 – Twin-T Notch Filter
where ω0 is the center frequency (or notch frequency) and Q is the quality factor. It follows therefore that
…………… (153)

…………… (154)

To develop a design procedure, given ωn and Q, choose C1=C2=C giving C3=2C. Then from (154)
…………… (155)

From (153) and (155),

…………… (156)

Design steps
For given ω0 and Q

46
1. Choose a suitable value of C1=C2=C.
2. Evaluate C3=2C.
3.

R3=R1//R2
One expects a third order response due to the 3 capacitors in the circuit. The choice C3=C1+C2 and
R3=R1//R2 forces a zero to cancel the real pole.

Exercise 1
Examine this by deriving the T.F. for C1, C2, C3 and R1, R2, R3.

Example
Design a Twin-T notch filter having a notch frequency of 104 rads-1 and Q=10; f0=1592Hz.
Solution
Given ω0=104 and Q=10.
 Choose C1=C2=C=10nF.
 Calculate
C3=2C=20nF

R3=500//200k=493Ω

Exercise 2
Design notch filter for f0=60Hz and Q=10.

High-Q Notch Filter

In many practical situations 30 to 40dB rejection of a signal at a certain frequency is not uncommon while
preserving other frequency components. Such applications require high-Q notch filters. The circuit of a
high-Q notch filter (Q>>0) is shown in Figure 35.
Node equations are
( ) …………… (157)

( ) ( ) ( ) ............... (158)

47
 R1 R1
( ) .................
V
(159) I
C1 C1 V
O
After manipulation we get

2C1 R1/2
( ) R2=(1-X)R

( ) ............... (160)
R3=XR
Comparing (160) with (152), we get
............... (161)
Figure 3 – High Q Notch Filter X= R3/(R2 +R3)
( )
............... (162)

From (161),
............... (163)

and from (162),

............... (164)

Design Steps
1. Given centre frequency ω0 and Q, choose a value for G and R.
2. Calculate R1 using (163) and X using (164).
3. Calculate R2=(1-X)R and R3=XR.

Example
Design a notch filter having ω0=104rads-1, f0=1591Hz and Q=50.
Solution
Choose C1=10nF and R=10kΩ.
Then

R3=XR=9.95kΩ
R2=(1-X)R=50Ω

An Infinite Gain MFB Notch or Band-Reject Active Filter

The two previous notch filters both have unity gain. A notch filter circuit for which the gain may be
specified and which is capable of high values of Q is shown.
48
The node equations are given by
( ) ............... (165)

............... (166)

............... (167)

Eliminating VA and VB and re-arranging gives

[ ( ) ( )]
............... (168)
( )

Let
............... (169)

Then,
[ ( )] [ ( )]
............... (170)
( ) ( )

The general form of a 2nd order notch filter with gain is given by
( )
............... (171)

where k is the frequency gain away from the centre frequency. Hence,
............... (172)

............... (173)

( )............... (174)

providing (169) is satisfied. For the normalized case when ω0=1, we select C=1F. The two of the
resistances may be assigned
R3 R6
arbitrarily. We choose R3=1 C
and R5=2. Then, (169) and
R4
(172) to (174) must be solved
R1 C
to get R1, R2, R4 and R6. VI VA
VB R5
............... (175) VO
R2
( )............... (176)
............... (177)
............... (178)
............... (179) Figure 4 – 2nd Order Positive Feedback Notch Filter
49
 ............... (180)

Example
Design a 2nd order infinite gain MFB notch to reject a centre frequency of 1 kHz with a Q-factor, Q=10
and a gain of k=5.
Solution
Knowing the value of Q and the 1Ω 5Ω

gain k, the component values 1F

can be found using eqns. (56) to

20Ω
(61). Hence C=1 1F
VI 5Ω
2Ω
0.05Ω VO
( )

Figure 5 – Normalized 2nd Order Positive Feedback Notch Filter designed by Example

Denormalize and scale.

50