Analyzing Active Filters

In what follows there are nine filter analysis problems with different but comparable
specifications. Order of your filter should not exceed two.

Problems

Problem 1: Perform detailed analysis of a low-pass active filter circuit such that its roll off
attenuates frequency components at 7.5 kHz or more by more than 15 dB. Also, it is desired
to have the passband gain positive that does not deviate from 20 dB by more than 3 dB. The
passband frequency needed is 500 Hz and below.

Problem 2: Perform detailed analysis of a low-pass active filter circuit such that its roll off
attenuates frequency components at 7.5 kHz or more by more than 10 dB. Also, it is desired
to have the passband gain positive that does not deviate from 20 dB by more than 3 dB. The
passband frequency needed is 600 Hz and below.

Problem 3: Perform detailed analysis of a low-pass active filter circuit such that its roll off
attenuates frequency components at 9 kHz or more by more than 15 dB. Also, it is desired
to have the passband gain positive that does not deviate from 20 dB by more than 3 dB. The
passband frequency needed is 600 Hz and below.

Problem 4: Perform detailed analysis of a low-pass active filter circuit such that its roll off
attenuates frequency components at 8.75 kHz or more by more than 10 dB. Also, it is desired
to have the passband gain positive that does not deviate from 20 dB by more than 3 dB. The
passband frequency needed is 700 Hz and below.

Problem 5: Perform detailed analysis of a low-pass active filter circuit such that its roll off
attenuates frequency components at 10.5 kHz or more by more than 15 dB. Also, it is desired
to have the passband gain positive that does not deviate from 20 dB by more than 3 dB. The
passband frequency needed is 700 Hz and below.

Problem 6: Perform detailed analysis of a low-pass active filter circuit such that its roll off
attenuates frequency components at 10 kHz or more by more than 10 dB. Also, it is desired
to have the passband gain positive that does not deviate from 20 dB by more than 3 dB. The
passband frequency needed is 800 Hz and below.

Problem 7: Perform detailed analysis of a low-pass active filter circuit such that its roll off
attenuates frequency components at 12 kHz or more by more than 15 dB. Also, it is desired
to have the passband gain positive that does not deviate from 20 dB by more than 3 dB. The
passband frequency needed is 800 Hz and below.
Problem 8: Perform detailed analysis of a low-pass active filter circuit such that its roll off
attenuates frequency components at 11.25 kHz or more by more than 10 dB. Also, it is
desired to have the passband gain positive that does not deviate from 20 dB by more than 3
dB. The passband frequency needed is 900 Hz and below.

Problem 9: Perform detailed analysis of a low-pass active filter circuit such that its roll off
attenuates frequency components at 13.5 kHz or more by more than 15 dB. Also, it is desired
to have the passband gain positive that does not deviate from 20 dB by more than 3 dB. The
passband frequency needed is 900 Hz and below.

Requirements

Your final circuit should be assembled on a PCB. Provide input and output pins for power
supply and signals. Solder the components on the PCB yourself. Details of the PCB design
software and etching process should be included in your report.

A detailed technical report of your work on the assigned problem must be submitted along
with the circuit by the date to be specified in the lab. The technical report you submit must
be comprehensive and complete. It must be written in such a way that a fellow engineer,
who knows the theory behind the Bode plots but has not done any work with them, should
be able to understand and learn the process by just reading your report. The report you
write must consist of the following:

1. Description of your problem.

2. Reasons for the selection of whatever circuit you selected.

3. Details of how you chose the corner frequencies and passband gain.
4. Details of how you determined the component (or parameter) values of the filter
circuit.
5. The transfer function of your circuit.
6. Frequency response magnitude characteristic of your circuit. Use Matlab for this
purpose. MATLAB can be used to plot frequency response characteristics of a
transfer function which is in the form of a ratio of two ploynomials. The MATLAB
function freqs(num,den) helps you in this respect. Seek help on the MATLAB by
typing ‘help freqs(num,den)’ to learn how to use freqs(num,den). Once you plot the
frequency response characteristics, you can find out 3 dB point if you need it. Your
report should contain the MATLAB code or any other software code you use to
obtain the frequency response characteristic.
7. Conversion of a low-pass filter to a high-pass filter: One can convert a low-pass
filter to a high-pass filter. Determine the radian frequency ωo at which the gain is 3
dB below the passband gain, the so called 3 dB frequency or half-power frequency.
 Consider your transfer function, and replace the Laplace variable s in it by . The
resulting transfer function has a high-pass frequency response characteristic.
Determine a filter circuit that has such a transfer function, and plot its frequency
response magnitude characteristic (Use Matlab for this purpose). What is its 3 dB
frequency of the high pass filter you designed?

8. Finally write conclusions commenting on the results and design experience you
gained.

Your experimental results may not match the theoretical results. The following need to be
observed.

• In performing the experiment, you need to be cautious of not rendering the Op-Amps
saturate, and also noise not to dominate the measurements. All you need is the ratio
of output voltage to the input voltage of the filter at each frequency. In the pass band,
input values are to be small enough to make sure that Op-Amps do not saturate. On
the other hand, in rejection band, input values are to be large enough to make sure
that the output voltage is not dominated by noise.

• Make sure Op-Amps are not burnt out.

• Make sure that there is only one ground point. Too many ground points may render
one or the other components grounded at both ends.

• Parasitics may dominate. To avoid parasitic effects, use as small components as you
can, do not use big boxes for resistances and capacitances.

• If proper components are not available, use magnitude scaling. That is, increase each
resistance by a factor of km and decrease each capacitance by the same factor km. Such
a scaling does not affect the transfer function of the filter. You can also use frequency
scaling by decreasing all the capacitances by a factor kf. This however changes the
transfer function.