40

30

20
Q5

|A| Gain dB
Overall Filter
10

0
1st Stage
10 2nd Stage
3rd Stage
20 4th Stage
5th Stage
30
0.01 0.1 1 10
Frequency

Figure 1610. Graphical Presentation of Quality Factor Q on a Tenth-Order

Tschebyscheff Low-Pass Filter with 3-dB Passband Ripple

The gain response of the fifth filter stage peaks at 31 dB, which is the logarithmic value
of Q5:
Q 5[dB] + 20logQ 5
Solving for the numerical value of Q5 yields:
31
Q 5 + 10 20 + 35.48
which is within 1% of the theoretical value of Q = 35.85 given in Section 16.9, Table 169,
last row.
The graphical approximation is good for Q > 3. For lower Qs, the graphical values differ
from the theoretical value significantly. However, only higher Qs are of concern, since the
higher the Q is, the more a filter inclines to instability.

16.2.5 Summary
The general transfer function of a low-pass filter is :
A0
A(s) + (161)
P
i 1 ) a is ) b is
2

The filter coefficients ai and bi distinguish between Butterworth, Tschebyscheff, and Bes-
sel filters. The coefficients for all three types of filters are tabulated down to the tenth order
in Section 16.9, Tables 164 through 1610.

16-10