Tencon 2005, Paper 1568965073, Kikkert, Designing Low Cost Wideband Microstrip Bandpass Filters 1

Designing Low Cost Wideband Microstrip Bandpass

Filters
Cornelis Jan Kikkert
Electrical and Computer Engineering, School of Engineering
James Cook University
Townsville, Australia, 4811
Keith.Kikkert@jcu.edu.au

Abstract—The design of RF filters where the bandwidth is A hairpin filter has folded resonators as shown in Fig. 1.
much greater than 10% of the centre frequency is difficult to This filter has a 1 GHz centre frequency and 75 MHz
implement, since conventional filter design techniques such as bandwidth and was designed by the author. Harmonic
those for coupled line or interdigital filters are applicable to
filters with less than 10% bandwidth. This paper describes a
suppression stubs are included. For wideband filters, the
design technique for designing wideband RF filters and spacing between the resonators becomes too small for the
illustrates this with the design of a 5 resonator filter with a 50% filter to be manufactured reliably.
bandwidth at a centre frequency of 1 GHz. The design technique
produces filters with a remarkable accuracy, so that one- B: Interdigital Filters [1,2], use quarter wavelength
iteration filter designs can be produced reliably. resonators, grounded on opposite ends for adjacent resonators,
with electromagnetic coupling between the resonators. Fig. 2
shows a 1 GHz, 70 MHz bandwidth interdigital filter designed
I. INTRODUCTION
by the author. Often these filters are made using round rods in
Most RF filters are narrowband filters, with bandwidths less a rectangular cavity. Dishal [4] and Martin [5] have presented
than 10% of the centre frequency and are designed as coupled design equations for such filters with bandwidths up to 10%.
resonator filters using a wide variety of filter topologies [1, 2], Some commercial manufacturers [6] make interdigital filters
the most common forms being: with bandwidths up to 33% BW.
A: Parallel Coupled Line Filters [1, 2, 3], use half
wavelength long resonators, with electromagnetic coupling
between quarter wavelength sections to produce the filtering.
They are often made using microstrip or stripline circuits
resulting in a low cost filter.

Figure 2. 7% Bandwidth Interdigital Filter

C: Coupled Coaxial Line Cavity Filters, use quarter

wavelength coaxial lines, located inside a cavity. Adjacent
cavities are coupled by apertures in adjoining walls. Such
filters are commonly used in narrowband high power
applications. Helical Filters [7] are a variation of this type of
filter. The bandwidth of these filters is limited by the size of
the coupling apertures, which has to be less than the size of
Figure 1. 7.5% Bandwidth Parallel Coupled Line Filter. the wall joining the two cavities to be coupled. In some
Tencon 2005, Paper 1568965073, Kikkert, Designing Low Cost Wideband Microstrip Bandpass Filters 2

Coaxial Line Cavity filters, the cavities are coupled using the coupling coefficient K1_2 should agree very closely with
coupling loops and sometimes these coupling loops are the value of the coupling coefficient measured by other
connected using transmission lines. techniques. The second network is a microstrip realisation of
the two-resonator Direct Coupled Transmission Line
D: LC filters. Since Inductors and Capacitors have
Resonator Filter shown in Fig. 3. The third network is a
relatively high losses at RF frequencies, LC filters are not
realisation of the same filter, using ideal transmission lines.
normally used for RF bandpass filters above 100 MHz. At
The circuit diagram used in the computer simulation is shown
UHF frequencies LC filters are used for low pass or high pass
in Fig. 5.
filters.
PORT Zres=25 PORT
P=1 FLt=1 P=2
II. DIRECT COUPLED TRANSMISSION LINE RESONATOR Z=5000 Ohm CLt=0.4
Ldel=0.9
Z=5000 Ohm

FILTERS LLt=90*FLt
LLT1=CLt*LLt*(1-Ldel)
TLIN LLT2=CLt*LLt*(1+Ldel) TLIN
This paper describes a new design technique for the design ID=TL2
Z0=Zres Ohm
ID=TL5
Z0=Zres Ohm
of direct coupled transmission line filters with large EL=LLt-LLT1 Deg
F0=1 GHz
EL=LLt-LLT2 Deg
F0=1 GHz
bandwidths. In these filters quarter wavelength resonators are
direct coupled using quarter wavelength transmission lines.
TLIN
Fig. 3 shows a microstrip layout for a two-resonator filter, TLIN
ID=TL1
ID=TL3 TLIN
Z0=50 Ohm ID=TL4
used for determining the coupling coefficients. Z0=Zres Ohm
EL=LLT1 Deg
EL=90 Deg
F0=1 GHz
Z0=Zres Ohm
EL=LLT2 Deg
F0=1 GHz F0=1 GHz

Figure 5. Two-resonator filter using ideal transmission lines.

To determine the coupling coefficient of the resonators, the

tapping point is varied by changing CLt in Fig. 5. For a
Butterworth filter of order n, the k and q values can be
obtained from filter tables in Zverev [7] or from the following
expressions:
Figure 3. Two-resonator filter used for determining the coupling
coefficients. (2 − 1)π π
q0 = qn = 2Sin = 2Sin
To use this type of filter in a design, the coupling 2n 2n
coefficients must be determined as the tapping point is varied. (1)
This can be done using computer simulation using Microwave 1
k ij =
Office [8]. (2i − 1)π (2i + 1)π
2 Sin Sin
frM=0.8938 2n 2n
twopi=6.283
wr2=twopi*1e9*frM PORT
PORT
Cr=1e12/(25*wr2) P=2
P=1
Lr=25*1e9/wr2 Z=5e3 Ohm
Z=5e3 Ohm
Equation 9.4.3 in Zverev [7] shows how the coupling
3 4
coefficient can be measured from the frequency difference
MUC2
ID=M1
between the peaks of Fig. 6 as:
CAP
CAP L1=Lr nH ID=C1
ID=C2 R1=0 Ohm
1

C=Cr pF
C=Cr pF L2=Lr nH
R2=0 Ohm
K1_2=0.5
1 2 BW3dB ∆f p
K12 = k12 = (2)
f0 f0
Where K12 is the coupling coefficient, k12 is the normalised
Figure 4. Mutually coupled LC two resonator filter.
coupling coefficient as obtained from (1), ∆fp is the frequency
To obtain confidence in the results, three different networks difference between the peaks, f0 is the centre frequency and
are simulated. The first one is a two-resonator LC network BW3dB is the actual filter bandwidth. A typical plot obtained
using a mutual coupling shown in Fig. 4. Models for ideal from the computer simulation is shown in Fig. 6. In the
components are used in the computer simulation, thus simulation, the tapping point for the ideal transmission line
removing any limitations of practical LC filters. By definition, resonator is set and the tapping point for the microstrip circuit
Tencon 2005, Paper 1568965073, Kikkert, Designing Low Cost Wideband Microstrip Bandpass Filters 3

and the coupling coefficient for the transformer coupled

resonator are varied to ensure that the same coupling
coefficient is obtained.

Figure 8. Coupling Coefficient versus Normalised Tapping Point as a

function of transmission line impedance.

For a practical filter, there will be several resonators, each

Figure 6. Frequency response for determining coupling coefficients. being coupled to the next one. As a result each resonator will
have two T sections with coupling lines connected to it.
Fig. 7 shows the resulting coupling coefficients plotted During the final stages of the design process, the tapping
versus transmission line normalised tapping point and points are optimized to obtain the required filter specification.
transformer mutual coupling coefficient. The resonator It is likely that during the optimization, some of the tapping
transmission line has a 25 Ω impedance. There is virtually no points on the resonator may need to slide past each other. To
difference between the ideal transmission line resonator and avoid this layout limitation, both the tapping points for each
the microstrip resonator. There is also a good agreement resonator are made the same, so that a cross connection can be
between the coupling coefficient set as a parameter in the used. As a result the tapping points for the adjacent resonators
mutually coupled transformer model and that obtained using will be different.
(1).

Figure 9. Coupling Coefficient variation with unequal tapping on adjacent

Figure 7. Coupling coefficients for the three different resonator circuits. resonators.

For practical filter layouts, it is desirable that the tapping Fig. 9 is a plot of the variation of the coupling coefficient as
points are not to be too close to the grounded end of the the average tapping point value is kept the same but the
resonators. The tapping-point distance should be much greater difference between the tapping points on the adjacent
than the line width of the coupling transmission line; resonators is varied. It can be seen that varying the tapping
otherwise the T junction joining the coupling line to the points between adjacent resonators reduces the coupling.
resonator cannot be accurately modelled. This can be achieved
by varying the characteristic impedances of the resonators. This graph can be reasonably approximated by:
The variation of coupling factor with transmission line
TapRe quired = Tap Average + 0.2(∆Tap ) 2 (3)
impedance is shown in Fig. 8. It can be seen that high
coupling factors require high impedance transmission lines.
Tencon 2005, Paper 1568965073, Kikkert, Designing Low Cost Wideband Microstrip Bandpass Filters 4

III. FILTER DESIGN EXAMPLE

The coupling coefficients shown in Fig. 8 and 9 can now be
applied to the design of a wideband filter. As an example the
design of a 5 resonator Butterworth bandpass filter with a
lower 3 dB cut-off frequency of 750 MHz and an upper cut
off frequency of 1250 MHz is chosen the filter will thus have
a 50% bandwidth.
Equation (1) can be used to determine the normalized Q
values and coupling coefficients as:
q1= qn =0.618
k12 = k45 = 1
k23 = k34 = 0.5559

Since the % bandwidth is 50%, de-normalising results in: Figure 11. Frequency response for initial filter.

Q1= Qn =0.309
K12 = K45 = 0.5 IV. FINE TUNING THE FILTER
K23 = K34 = 0.278
To shift the centre frequency, the length of all the
resonators is changed slightly using the ‘tuning simulation’
For the filter, 50 Ω transmission lines are used for the input capability of Microwave Office. In addition, it is desirable to
and output resonators, which require the highest coupling fine tune the filter to obtain the lowest insertion loss. This is
coefficients of 0.5. For the other resonators, 36 Ω transmission best achieved by ensuring that the filter has a low return loss.
lines are used. Interpolating the tapping points from Fig. 8 and Setting the optimiser constraints on S11 to be less than -20 dB
using (3), results in the following normalised tapping points: and carrying out the first stage of the optimisation process of
Resonator 1 50Ω Tap = 0.487 the filter to meet this return loss as well as the passband
Resonator 2 36Ω Tap = 0.614 specifications results in the following tapping points:
Resonator 3 36Ω Tap = 0.426 Resonator 1 50Ω Tap = 0.5147
Resonator 1 36Ω Tap = 0.614 Resonator 2 36Ω Tap = 0.5969
Resonator 1 50Ω Tap = 0.487 Resonator 3 36Ω Tap = 0.4304
Resonator 1 36Ω Tap = 0.5969
Resonator 1 50Ω Tap = 0.5147

The resulting frequency response of the filter after this first

stage of optimisation is shown in Fig. 12.

Figure 10. Filter layout for initial tap values.

Entering those values in the Microwave Office circuit

schematic of the filter, results in the initial filter layout shown
in Fig. 10, with the corresponding frequency response shown
in Fig. 11. To highlight differences between the 750 MHz and
1250 MHz, corner frequency specifications and frequency-
response obtained from the computer simulation and an
optimisation mask is superimposed on Fig. 11. In addition an
optimisation mask for a –1 dB attenuation from 780 MHz to
1220 MHz is shown. It can be seen that the design procedure
results in a filter that has a bandwidth that closely matches the
design specifications, but whose centre frequency is 3.5% low. Figure 12. Frequency response of the filter after stage 1 optimisation.
This difference is due to the end effect of the open circuit
resonators not being taken into account in the above For a wideband filter implementation like this, the spurious
calculations.
Tencon 2005, Paper 1568965073, Kikkert, Designing Low Cost Wideband Microstrip Bandpass Filters 5

response at the harmonics, particularly that at 2 GHz is in order to obtain the best result. In most instances having a
unacceptable. To provide better attenuation at those more severe optimisation limit than required and later relaxing
frequencies, stubs need to be added to the filter. Those stubs that limit may help the optimisation achieve a satisfactory
will distort the frequency response of the filter. In order to result. Sometimes if the optimisation cost function is not
minimise the effect of the stubs on the centre frequency of the decreasing, easing the optimisation limit may result in further
filter, it is desirable to use two sets of stubs and vary the progress in the optimisation cost function. By having the
spacing between the two sets of stubs to provide a low return harmonic stubs included in the design the -20 dB optimisation
loss at the centre frequency of the filter. In addition it is limit on S11, shown in Fig. 12 cannot be achieved for this
desirable to make the harmonic stubs slightly different design and an S11 optimisation limit of -15 dB is more
lengths, to widen the bandwidth over which good harmonic realisable.
attenuation is obtained. Fig. 13 shows the frequency response
The final step in the filter design is to change the layout
of two harmonic stub filters, one having second harmonic
from a simple design as shown in Fig. 10, to a more compact
suppression only and the other one having both second and
and easier to manufacture design. To achieve this, the three
third harmonic suppression. It can be seen that having both
tiered ground level shown in Fig. 10 is made one level and the
second and third harmonic stubs distorts the passband at 1
coupling transmission lines are folded and bent in order to
GHz more than just having a second harmonic stub. The
take up as little space as possible, while connecting to the
hairpin filter of Fig. 1 incorporates both second and third
resonators at the correct tapping points. In addition the
harmonic, open circuit stubs according to these principles.
harmonic stubs may be folded as shown in Fig. 1. This final
layout should also ensure that the input and output connectors
are in the correct location for mounting the filter. Fig. 14 is a
photograph of the final filter.

Figure 13. Frequency response for harmonic suppression open circuit stub
filters.

The harmonic suppression stubs are now incorporated in the

optimized filter design of Fig. 12. For this design a stop band
attenuation of 50 dB from 1.8 GHz to 2.5 GHz is required and
the filter performance above 2.5 GHz is not important. As a Figure 14. The 750 to 1250 MHz Filter Realisation.
result only second harmonic stubs are used, since that causes
Fig. 15 shows the frequency response of the final filter after
less distortion to the filter passband.
optimisation, it also shows the final optimisation limits used.
The second stage of the optimisation involves optimising To determine the reliability of the design technique, 4 filters
the combined filter, and adjust the resonators lengths, tapping were constructed. The measured frequency response of those
points, harmonic stubs and output line lengths, to provide the filters are also shown in Fig. 15. It can be seen that the design
correct passband, stopband and harmonic performance and the technique results in highly repeatable filters, whose measured
correct input match in the passband. The optimisation limits performance agrees remarkably with the results from
are those shown in Fig. 12 with the addition of a -55 dB computer simulation. The agreement between the measured
stopband attenuation in the region of 1.8 GHz to 2.5 GHz. and simulated results for these filters is much better than those
for the hairpin filter of Fig. 1 or the interdigital filter of Fig. 2.
The optimisation cost function versus resonator lengths and
It should be noted that the right most resonator is significantly
tapping points is a very nonlinear multidimensional function,
larger than the other resonators. This is required to
with many local minima. A single optimisation technique will
compensate for the effects of the harmonic stubs on the
thus not provide the optimum answer and in practice it is
passband response.
necessary to change optimisation levels, weights and strategy
Tencon 2005, Paper 1568965073, Kikkert, Designing Low Cost Wideband Microstrip Bandpass Filters 6

microwave absorber in strategic places ensured that this

radiation was minimised.
The design technique presented here uses microstrip
resonators to illustrate the design principles and result in a low
cost filter. The same design technique can however be used
for direct coupled resonators filters using transmission lines
resonators in other forms, such as coaxial cables or coaxial
cavity resonators.

V. CONCLUSION
A design technique for designing wideband direct coupled
resonator filters has been presented. The design technique
presented here is also applicable to narrower band filters.
Figure 15. Simulated and Measured Frequency response for final filter.
Since the filter design is based on resonators coupled using
At higher frequencies the coupling lines cannot be bent as transmission lines, the accuracy of the simulation is much
shown in fig. 14. As a result the ground line must be adjusted better than those designs which rely on electromagnetic
in height as shown in fig. 16, which is a 3.5 GHz filter with a radiation, like the hairpin filter or the interdigital filter, so that
1 GHz passband. The red squares show the feed-through one-iteration filter designs can be produced reliably. By
connections between the top and the bottom groundplanes. comparing Fig. 1, 2 and 14, it can be seen that the Direct
Coupled Transmission Line Resonator Filters are larger than
the interdigital or parallel coupled line filters. Direct coupled
transmission line resonator filters are thus the best filter type
to use when space is not an issue, but where accuracy is
important or where wide bandwidths are required.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The author acknowledges the assistance of Applied Wave
Research Inc. for providing Microwave Office at a discounted
Figure 16. Layout of a 3-4 GHz bandpass filter.
price. Without the analysis and optimisation capability of this
software, the design would have not been possible. The
technical staff at James Cook University is acknowledged for
their help in fabrication the filters.

REFERENCES
[1] G. Matthaei, L. Young, and E. M. T. Jones, Microwave Filters,
Impedance-Matching Networks, and Coupling Structures. Boston, MA:
Artech House, 1980. pp.583-650.
[2] D. Pozar, Microwave Engineering , Third Edition, Wiley, 2005. pp. 416-
438.
[3] N. G. Toledo, “Practical Techniques For Designing Microstrip Tapped
Hairpin Resonator Filters On Fr4 Laminates” Available:
http://wireless.asti.dost.gov.ph/sitebody/techpapers/hairpin_pej.DOC.
[4] M. Dishal, “A Simple Design Procedure for Small Percentage
Bandwidth Round Rod Interdigital Filters” MTT, Vol 13, No5, Sep
1965, pp 696 – 698.
[5] P. Martin, “Design Equations for Tapped Round Rod Combline and
Figure 17. Simulated and Measured Frequency response for 3-4GHz filter. Interdigital Bandpass Filters”, Nov 2002. Available:
http://www.rfshop.com.au/C&IDES.DOC.
Fig.17 shows the simulated and measured frequency [6] K&L Microwave , 9IR20-7500/X2000-O/O Wide Band Interdigital
response of the filter with the layout of figure 16. It can be Filter, Available:
http://www.klmicrowave.com/bulletin2004/August/PDF/9IR20.pdf.
seen that there is an excellent agreement between the actual [7] A. I. Zverev, Handbook of Filter Synthesis, Wiley, 1967, Helical Filters
and the designed performance in the passband. In the pp 499-521, k and q Filter Tables, p 341, Eqn. 9.4.3 pp 517.
stopband, there is less isolation than expected, due to radiation [8] Microwave Office, Product details available:
http://appwave.com/products/.
between the input and output transmission lines. Placing