A filter is a circuit capable of passing (or amplifying) certain frequencies
while attenuating other frequencies. Filters are used to clean up signals,
remove unwanted noise, or select specific frequencies.
Passive Filter Active Filter
Low pass filter
High pass filter
Band pass filter
Band stop filter
◼ A LPF has a constant gain (usually unity)
from 0Hz (DC) to a high cut-off frequency,
fH.
◼ At fH (also called as cut-off or critical
frequency), the gain is down by 3 dB (in
other words the gain drops to 0.707 times
its maximum value).
◼ The frequencies between 0 Hz and fH Hz are
known as the pass band frequencies,
whereas the range of frequencies beyond fH
are called stop band frequencies.
R1 1 ◼ Roll off rate of 20dB/decade can be achieved
Acl ( NI ) = +1 fc =
2RC
R2 with single RC circuit comprises of one resistor
and one capacitor.
◼ Higher roll off rate will need an additional RC
circuit where each RC circuit is known as
ORDER or POLE.
◼HPF will stop all
signals with frequency
below the cut-off
frequency, fc @ fL.
◼fc is a frequency where
the output voltage, VO is
70.7% from the pass
band voltage.
R1 1
Acl ( NI ) = +1 fc =
R2 2RC
◼The band pass filter passes only a specified
band of frequencies and rejects all others.
◼The pass band is defined as the frequencies
between two cut-off frequencies fL and fH.
◼The rest of the frequency range is the stop band.
◼Bandwidth of the filter is (fH – fL).
◼Q is an indication of the selectivity of a BPF.
◼Narrow BPF: Q > 10. Wide-band BPF: Q < 10.
• The band-stop filter performs the opposite
function of band-pass filters.
• It is also called a band-reject or band-
elimination filter.
• Frequencies within a certain BW are rejected.
• Useful for filtering interfering signals.
• In band-pass and band-stop filters, fC is called
the centre frequency since it is approximately
at the centre of the pass-band or stop-band.
Filter Circuit Frequency response Filter characteristics
Low Pass Filter
(LPF)
High Pass Filter
(HPF)
Band Pass Filter
Band Stop Filter
Exercise 1
Design a non-inverting active low pass filter circuit that has a gain of ten at low frequencies, given that
the resistor of the filter is 10 k , the feedback resistor is 9 k and a high frequency cut-off or corner
frequency of 159 Hz
10 k
9 k
R1 = 1 k
C1 = 100 nF
Exercise 2
A first order active high pass filter has a pass band gain of two and a cut-off corner frequency of 1 kHz.
If the input capacitor has a value of 10 nF, calculate the value of the resistor of the filter and the
resistors of the amplifier.
R3 = 16 k
R1 = R 2
Exercise 3
The following figure is a bandpass filter circuit. Determine the value of fL, fH, BW, f0 and Q. Draw the frequency
waveform response.
Butterworth Filter
• Filters with a flat pass band gain are commonly used
• Provides a very flat amplitude response in the pass band
and a roll-off rate of -20dB / decade / pole.
Although it is difficult to design a • normally used when all frequencies in the pass band must
filter with frequency response have the same gain.
similar to ideal filter, a practical filter
with response close to an ideal Chebyshev Filter
response can be achieved using
some design technique with precise • Provide a ripple (or overshoots) in pass-band gain.
component values and a high speed • Faster roll-off rate of slightly greater than -20dB / decade
op-amp. / pole.
Bessel Filter
• Maximize the pass band delay just as Butterworth filters
maximize the magnitude.
• The filter response has a roll-off rate of slightly less than -
20dB / decade / pole compare to Butterworth type.
• The cut-off frequencies fH and fL are determined by the component values of the capacitors
and resistors in the filter circuit.
• Roll-off rate of a filter is the rate at which the gain of the filter changes in the stop-band.
• Higher the roll-off rate, better the frequency selection! The roll-off rate is determined by the
order of the filter.
• For instance, a first order filter gives 20 dB/decade roll off, whereas a second order filter gives
40 dB/decade roll off.
• Frequency response types of a filter are determined by the damping coefficient , . ( = 0 →
2).
Comparison of Filter Approximation
Type Passband Stopband Roll off rate Step response
Butterworth Flat Monotonic Good Good
Chebyshev Rippled Monotonic Very Good Poor
Bessel Flat Monotonic Poor Best
Type Passband Stopband Roll off rate Step response
Butterworth Flat Monotonic Good Good
Chebyshev Rippled Monotonic Very Good Poor
Bessel Flat Monotonic Poor Best