Mini Tutorial

MT-222
One Technology Way P.O. Box 9106 Norwood, MA 02062-9106, U.S.A. Tel: 781.329.4700 Fax: 781.461.3113 www.analog.com

While the Sallen-Key filter is widely used, a serious drawback

Sallen-Key Filters is that the filter is not easily tuned, due to interaction of the
by Hank Zumbahlen, component values on F0 and Q. Another limitation is the relati-
Analog Devices, Inc. vely low maximum Q value obtainable.
To transform the low pass into the highpass, simply exchange
IN THIS MINI TUTORIAL the capacitors and the resistors in the frequency determining
Three sample Sallen-Key filters are designed in this mini network (that is, not the amp gain resistors). This is shown in
tutorial, one in a series of mini tutorials describing discrete Figure 2. The comments regarding sensitivity of the filter given
above for the low-pass case apply to the high-pass case as well.
circuits for precision op amps.
The design equations for the Sallen-Key high-pass filter are
shown in the Sallen-Key High-Pass Design Equations section.
The Sallen-Key configuration, also known as a voltage control
C1 R1
voltage source (VCVS), was first introduced in 1955 by R. P. IN OUT
Sallen and E. L. Key of MITs Lincoln Labs (see the References C2

section). One of the most widely used filter topologies, this

configuration is shown in Figure 1. R2
R3
R1 C1

10427-002
IN OUT R4
R2

Figure 2. Sallen-Key High-Pass Filter

C2
R3
The band-pass case of the Sallen-Key filter (see Figure 4) has
a severe limitation. The value of Q determines the gain of the
10427-001

R4
filter, that is, it cannot be set independently, as it can with the
Figure 1. Sallen-Key Low-Pass Filter low-pass or high-pass cases. The design equations for the
Sallen-Key band-pass filter are shown in the Sallen-Key Band-
One reason for this popularity is that this configuration shows Pass Design Equations section.
the least dependence of filter performance on the performance
of the op amp. This is because the op amp is configured as an Although a Sallen-Key notch filter may also be constructed,
amplifier, as opposed to an integrator, which minimizes the notch filters have a large number of undesirable characteristics.
gain-bandwidth requirements of the op amp. The resonant frequency, or the notch frequency, cannot be
adjusted easily due to component interaction.
This infers that for a given op amp, one can design a higher
frequency filter than with other topologies since the op amp As in the band-pass case, the section gain is fixed by the other
gain-bandwidth product does not limit the performance of design parameters, and there is a wide spread in component
the filter as it would if it were configured as an integrator. In values, especially capacitors. Because of these issues and the
addition, since the op amp is configured as an amplifier, current availability of easier to use circuits, notch filters are not
feedback amplifiers, which cannot be configured as conven- discussed in this tutorial.
tional integrators, can be used. This allows slightly more OUT
R2
bandwidth from the filter. The signal phase through the filter R1 C1
is maintained (noninverting configuration). IN

Another advantage of this configuration is that the ratio of C2 R3

R4
the largest resistor value to the smallest resistor value, and the
10427-003

R5
ratio of the largest capacitor value to the smallest capacitor
value (component spread) are low, which is beneficial for Figure 3. Sallen-Key Band-Pass Filter
manufacturability. The frequency and Q terms are somewhat
independent, but they are very sensitive to the gain parameter.
The Sallen-Key is very Q-sensitive to element values, especially
for high Q sections. The design equations for the Sallen-Key
low-pass filter are shown in the Sallen-Key Low-Pass Design
Equations section.
Rev. A | Page 1 of 3
MT-222 Mini Tutorial
SALLEN-KEY LOW-PASS DESIGN EQUATIONS SALLEN-KEY HIGH-PASS DESIGN EQUATIONS
+ H 0 2 + H s2
s 2 + 0 s + 0 2
s 2 + 0 s + 0 2
R1 C1 C1 R1
IN OUT IN OUT
R2 C2

C2 R2
R3 R3

10427-004

10427-005
R4 R4

Figure 4. Figure 5.
1 VO H s2
H =
VO R1 R 2 C1 C 2
= C 2 C1 C2
R 2 + R 2 + (1 H ) R1
VIN
VIN 1 1 1 (1 H ) 1 1
s 2
+ s + + + s 2
+s +
R1 R 2 C1 R 2 C 2 R1 R 2 C1 C 2 C 1 C 2 R1 R 2 C1 C 2

To design the filter, choose C1 and R3. To design the filter, choose C1 and R3.

Then Then

k = 2 F0 C1 k = 2 F0 C1

R3 C2 = C1
R4 =
(H 1) + 2 + (H 1)
R1 =
2
+ (H 1)
4k
m=
4
4 1
C2 = m C1 R2 = +
+ + (H 1)
2 k
2
R1 =
k

R2 =
2 mk

Rev. A | Page 2 of 3
Mini Tutorial MT-222
SALLEN-KEY BAND-PASS DESIGN EQUATIONS
+ H 0 s
s + 0 s + 0 2
2

OUT
R2
R1 C1
IN

C2 R3
R4

10427-006
R5

Figure 6.

VO
=
VIN
1
Hs
R1 C 2
C1 (C1 + C 2) C 2 C1
R3 + + + (1 H ) 1 R1 + R 2
s + s R1 R 2 R 2
+
2

C1 C 2 R3 + C1 C 2 R1 R 2

To design the filter, choose C1 and R4.
Then
k = 2 F0 C1
R4
R5 =
H 1
1
C2 = C1
2
2
R1 =
k
2
R2 =
3k
4
R3 =
k
1 1
H= 6.5
3 Q

REFERENCES
Sallen, R. P. and E. L. Key, 1955. A Practical Method of Designing RC Active Filters. IRE Transactions on Circuit Theory, Vol. CT-2, 7485.
Zumbahlen, Hank, editor, 2008. Linear Circuit Design Handbook, Newnes, ISBN 978-0-7506-8703-4.
REVISION HISTORY
7/12Rev. 0 to Rev. A
Changes to Statements following Equations .................................. 2
3/12Revision 0: Initial Version

2012 Analog Devices, Inc. All rights reserved. Trademarks and

registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
MT10427-0-7/12(A)

Rev. A | Page 3 of 3