Assignment 1: Theory and design of Low-pass active

butter-worth filter
Purnendu Kumar (EE14S041),Vyanktesh Raghav Ashtekar (ME15M090)
Teacher: Dr Anil Prabhakar (EE, IITM)
January 22, 2016
Abstract
This document is prepared for the fulfillment of assignment-1, of course EE5400 (IITM,Jan-May
2016), which consists of the theoretical calculation along with the simulation of Low-pass butter-worth
filter. MATLAB-2015b and Tina-ti are used for simulation purpose.

Introduction to butterworth filter

Butter-worth filter is a special category of signal processing filter which is designed to give flat magnitude
response in its passband. Due to this characteristics this filter is also called maximum flat magnitude
filter, which was first described by British engineer and physicist Stephen Butterworth in 1930. Flat
magnitude response of butter-worth filter is assured by having a quality factor of Q = 0.707. Although
due to smooth transition it has a very wide transition-band which makes it unusable in case where high
roll-off is required. Ideal Brick-wall response can be approximated with higher order filter. Desired order
of a butter-worth filter is calculated based on the frequency response provided in the problem statement,
as higher the roll-off from pass-band to stop band higher order filter would be required. In normalized
form where cutoff frequency is 1 radian, order of filter is n, and gain is 0dB at = 0rad/sec,
1
G() = p
1 + ()2n

(1)

Design of 2ndorder low-pass butter-worth filter

2
2.1

Calculation

Assumption:
1. Cutoff frequency of filter is much lower than the bandwidth of op-amp hence frequency response
of op-amp can be considered as linear (or frequency independent) (ideal).
2. Gain of op-amp is so high such that it can be approximated by during calculation hence idealizing the behavior.
3. Input impedance of op-amp is infinity.
4. No pad resistances/capacitances are high enough to disturb frequency response of filter.
For a low pass filter with gain = 0dB in pass-band transfer function is given as:
H(s) =

02
s2 + Q0 s + 02

(2)

Figure 1: Sallen key topology for secong order low pass filter
comparing this with transfer function of sallen key topology;
1
Vo
=
Vin
1 + C2 (R1 + R2 )s + C1 C2 R1 R2 s2

(3)

gives;
02 =
and

1
C1 C2 R1 R2

0
R1 + R2
=
Q
C1 R1 R2

Form the values provided in Question,

f0 = 1.5kHz, Zin 10k, n = 2
And to satisfy butter-worth response,
Q = 0.707.
substituting these values in equation returns;
from equation (4):
C1 C2 R1 R2 = 1.1258 108

(4)

(5)

(6)

from equation (5):

13330.6619(C1 R1 R2 ) = R1 + R2
Vo
Vin

1 @f0
2

(7)

= 1.5kHz hence from equation (3) and considering only magnitude:

C2 (R1 + R2 ) = 1.5 104

(8)

Input impedance can be calculated as:

Zin =

Vin
=
iin
1

R1
+ R2 C2 s)

Vo
Vin (1

(9)

o
as for DC, s = 0, VVin
= 1 Zin = , hence to satisfy the condition in question and taking magnitude
o
only, the least impedance will be at highest frequency. Hence by substituting VVin
= 0.707, Zin = 10k,
s = j and = 2 1.5kHz in equation (9):

R12 = 8.58 106 + R22 C22 44.39 1014

(10)

equation (8) is a linear combination of equation (6) and equation (7) hence we have three independent
equation and 4 variables, hence multiple solution can be possible. Also value of R22 C22 44.39 1014
can-not be negative hence :
R12 > 8.58 106
(11)
Let R1 = 10k, now from equation (10):
R2 C2 = 1.43 104

(12)

From equation (12) and equation (8) by substituting value of R1 : C2 = 0.64 109 F
Putting the value of C2 in equation (12) gives: R2 = 223.437k
Now putting values of R1 , R2 , and C2 in equation (6) yields: C1 = 7.87 109 F
Result summary:
R1
R2
C1
C2
fc
Q

2.2

10k
223.437k
7.87nF
0.64nF
1515.76Hz
0.7174

Simulation

Designed system can be represented as following;

b=tf([1],[11245e-12 149.39e-6 1]);
bode(b)

Figure 2: Matlab simulation of the transfer function derived from above values

2.3

Design

Choosing suitable values and adjusting them to get required value by continuous iteration lead to following results:
R1
9.1k
R2
200k
C1
8.2nF
C2
0.68nF
fc
1579.87Hz
Q
0.708
P haseM argin 89.85 deg
Observation:
1. There is a zero at 141kHz introduced due to op-amp internal structure.

Figure 3: Applied filter design

Figure 4: AC analysis output

2. Roll-off is 32dB per Decade lower than expected for second order filter.
3. Q factor is approximately 0.707 as designed.
4. Zin is 13.52k at 1.5kHz, slightly higher than expected value, 10k.
For Balancing a circuit we could add a 200k resistance in parallel with 0.64nF capacitor in the inverting hand of amplifier. This doesnt effect the output of op-amp. This system can be verified by
comparing currents in two branches while applying same voltage.

Figure 5: Input Impedance with frequency

Figure 6: Circuit for comparing the currents in two inputs of op-amp

Figure 7: AC analysis of current input in both branch

5

Figure 8: Applied filter design with balanced input

Figure 9: AC analysis output in balanced mode