Analog Electronics Workshop

Filtering
March 13, 2013

A filters purpose in life

is to
Obtain desired amplitude versus frequency characteristics

or
Introduce a purposeful phase-shift versus frequency response
or
Introduce a specific time-delay (delay equalizer)

Common filter applications

Band limiting filter in a
noise reduction application

Filter Types
Common filters employed in analog electronics
Low-pass

High-pass
Band-pass
Band-stop, or band-reject
All-pass

Filter Types
Low-pass

High-pass

fc

fc

A low-pass filter has a single pass-band up to a cutoff

frequency, fc and the bandwidth is equal to fc

A high-pass filter has a single stop-band 0<f<fc, and

pass-band f >fc

Band-pass

fl

Band-stop

fh

A band-pass filter has one pass-band, between two cutoff frequencies

fl and fh>fl, and two stop-bands 0<f<fl and f >fh. The bandwidth = fh-fl

fl

fh

A band-stop (band-reject) filter is one with a stop-band fl<f<fh

and two pass-bands 0<f<fl and f >fh

Filter Order
gain vs. frequency behavior for different low-pass filter orders
typically, one active filter stage is required for each 2nd-order function

20

Pass-band

Stop-band

fC (-3dB) 1kHz
0

Gain (dB)

0
-3

-6

-9

Gain (dB)

-20

-12
250.00

538.61

1.16k
Frequency (Hz)

-40

-40dB/dec

Filter Order
2nd
4th
6th
8th

-60

-80dB/dec

-120dB/dec
-160dB/dec

-80
10

100

1k

10k
Frequency (Hz)

100k

1M

2.50k

Filter Reponses
Common active low-pass filters - amplitude vs. frequency

20

Bessel
Butterworth
Chebyshev (2dB)
Gaussian
Linear Phase (0.5deg)

Gain (dB)

-20

-40

attenuation
of nearly 30 dB
at 1 decade

1kHz, 4th-order low-pass

responses, Av = +5V/V
-60

-80
100

1k

10k
Frequency (Hz)

100k

Why Active Filters?

A comparison of a 1kHz passive and active 2nd-order, low-pass filter
20

1kHz Passive LP

VCV1
+

RS1 1k

Gain vs. Frequency

Load
Impedance

Passive and Active

reponses are identical

L1 225m

-20

+
C1 220n

Vpas

RL1 1k
-

Gain (dB)

Source
Impedance

-40
-60
Vact
Vpas

-80

1kHz Active LP
C2 47n

-100
10

R1 2.72k

100

1k

R2 19.8k

100k

1M

10k
Frequency (Hz)

VG1

C1 10n

IOP1

+
RL2 1k

Vact

Phase vs. Frequency

Phase [deg]

-45

Inductor size, weight and cost for low frequency

LC filters are often prohibitive

Magnetic coupling by inductors can be a problem

-135

Active filters offer small size, low cost and are

comprised of op-amps, resistors and capacitors

-180

Active filter R and C values can be scaled to meet

electrical or physical size needs

-90

Vact
Vpas

10

100

1k

10k
Frequency (Hz)

100k

1M

Two popular single op-amp active filter topologies

2nd-order implementations
R3 10k

R2 9.31k

R4 10k

C2 2.2n

IOP1
-

IOP1

+
Vo_MFB

VG1

C3 10 n

VG1

C1 22 n

C2 22 n

R3 14k

Vo_SK

R2 13.7k

R1 4.64k

R1 2.1k

Multiple Feedback (MFB) low-pass

Sallen-Key (SK) low-pass

supports common low-pass, high-pass and

band-pass filter responses

supports common low-pass, high-pass and bandpass filter responses

inverting configuration

non-inverting configuration

5 passive components + 1 op-amp per stage

4-6 passive components + 1 op-amp per stage

low dependency on op-amp ac gain-bandwidth high dependency on op-amp ac gain-bandwidth to

to assure filter response
assure filter response

Q and fn have low sensitivity to R and C values Q is sensitive to R and C values

maximum Q of 10 for moderate gains

maximum Q approaches 25 for moderate gains

Active filter synthesis programs

to the rescue!

Modern filter synthesis programs make filter development fast and easy to use; no
calculations, tables, or nomograms required

They may provide low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, band-reject and all-pass

responses

Active filter synthesis programs such as FilterPro V3.1 and Webench Active Filter
Designer (beta) are available for free, from Texas Instruments

All you need to provide are the filter pass-band and stop-band requirements, and gain
requirements

The programs automatically determine the filter order required to meet the stop-band
requirements

FilterPro provides Sallen-Key (SK), Multiple Feedback (MFB) and differential MFB
topologies; the Webench program features the SK and MFB

Commercially available programs such as Filter Wiz Pro provide additional, multiamplifier topologies suitable for low sensitivity, and/or high-gain, high-Q filters

The operational-amplifier gain-bandwidth requirements

TI s FilterPro calculates each filter sections Gain-Bandwidth
Product (GBW) from:
GBWsection = G fn Q 100
where: G is the section closed-loop gain (V/V)
fn is the section natural frequency
Q is stage quality factor (Q = 1/2)
100 (40 dB) is a loop gain factor

The operational-amplifier gain-bandwidth requirement

an example of the FilterPro estimation

Let FilterPro estimate the minimum GBW for a 5th-order, 10 kHz (fc) low-pass
filter having a Chebyshev response, 2 V/V gain and a 3 dB pass-band ripple

FilterPros GBW estimation for the worst-case stage yields:

GBW = G fn Q 100
GBW = (2V/V)(10kHz)(8.82)(100) = 17.64MHz
vs. 16.94 MHz from the precise determination see Appendix
for details

Operational amplifier gain-bandwidth effects

the Sallen-Key topology
T

The operational amplifier gainbandwidth (GBW) affects the

close-in response
It also affects the ultimate
attenuation at high frequency

OPA170 GBW 1.2MHz

OPA314 GBW 2.7 MHz
OPA340 GBW 5.5 MHz
OPA140 GBW 11 MHz

20

Gain (dB)

40

-20

-40

Sallen-Key - Butterworth 10 kHz,

2nd-order low-pass, Av = +10 V/V

-60
1k

10k

100k
Frequency (Hz)

1M

10M

C4 2.4n

VS1 5

U2 OPA340
R5 5.11k

R6 931
+

C3 22n

VG1
R8 22.6k

R7 2.49k

VS2 2.5

FilterPro GBW 7.1 MHz

Vo

Op-amp fH Hz dB
OPA170 90 k -21.8
OPA314 110 k -23.5
OPA340 260k -38.1
OPA140 428 k -44.3

Operational amplifier gain-bandwidth effects

the Multiple Feedback (MFB) topology

40
OPA170 GBW
OPA314 GBW
OPA340 GBW
OPA140 GBW

20

Close-in response shows little

effect

1.2 MHz
2.7 MHz
5.5 MHz
11 MHz

0
Gain (dB)

The MFB shows much less GBW

dependency than the SK

Insufficient GBW affects the rolloff at high frequencies

-20
-40
-60

Multiple Feedback - Butterworth 10 kHz,

2nd-order low-pass, Av = +10 V/V

-80
1k

10k

R3 11.3k

100k
Frequency (Hz)

1M

10M

C2 1n

U1 OPA340
R1 1.13k

R2 1.02k
-

VG1

C1 22n

+
-

+
VS2 2.5

+
VS1 2.5

+
Vo

The lowest GBW device (1.2 MHz)

produces a gain deviation about 50-60
dB down on the response
A GBW 7 MHz for this example
provides near ideal roll-off

Achieving optimum active filter performance

Signal source

Zs 0

An op-amp driver
with low closedloop gain often
provides a low
source impedance
Resistors

Use quality, low tolerance

resistors

1 % and 0.1% reduce filter

sensitivity

Lower tolerance assures more

accurate response

Low temperature coefficient

reduces response change with
temperature

Higher order filters require ever

lower tolerances for accurate
response

Capacitors

Use quality C0G or

film dielectric for low
distortion

Type C0G has a low

temperature
coefficient (20 ppm)

Lower tolerance, 12%, assures more

accurate response

Higher order filters

require ever lower
tolerances for
accurate response
Operational Amplifier

Use required GBW - especially for the Sallen-Key

Be sure to consider the amplifier noise

High Zo effects can distort response

Higher amplifier current often equates to lower Zo

and wider GBW

Consider dc specifications especially bias current

FilterPro
Simulation
Measurement

16

FilterPro
1. Select Lowpass
2. Next

FilterPro
1. Check Set
Fixed
2. Next

FilterPro
1. Select
Butterworth
2. Next

FilterPro

1. Finish

FilterPro
1. Change Res Tol to 1%
2. Change Cap Tol to 5%
3. Notice Min GBW
Circuit

Response

FilterPro
1. Repeat process, but change Topology to Sallen-Key

FilterPro
1. Be sure to change R and C tolerances
2. Notice Min GBW for op amp
Circuit

Response

TINA Exercise-OPA2170 MFB

R3 11.3k

V+
V+ 15

R5 5.76k

C7 10n

R4 11.3k
Vin

V- 15

V-

C8 39n
-

V-

Vout

+
U1 OPA170

V+

FilterPro

TINA Exercise-OPA2170 MFB

Analysis->AC Analysis->AC Transfer Char

TINA Exercise-OPA2170 MFB

T

Gain (dB)

-20

-40

-60
10

100

1k
Frequency (Hz)

10k

100k

TINA Exercise-Filtering
T

-20

Gain (dB)

OPA170-MFB
OPA170-SK
OPA241-MFB
OPA241-SK

-40

-60
10

100

1k
Frequency (Hz)

10k

100k

NI myDAQ Exercise-Filtering
Populate U1 with OPA2170
Set J7 & J8 to MFB
R3 11.3k
J8
3
2

MFB
S-K

R4 11.3k

R5 5.76k

C7 10n

AO(0)

V-

C8 39n
-

++

J7
MFB
S-K

U1 OPA170
V+

AI(1)
1

NI myDAQ Exercise-Filtering
Launch Bode

Start Frequency=10Hz
Stop Frequency=20kHz
Steps=10
Peak Amplitude=2.00

Run

OPA2170 MFB
Lab Results

TINA Results
T

Gain (dB)

-20

-40

-60
10

100

1k
Frequency (Hz)

10k

100k

NI myDAQ Exercise-Filtering
C6 22n

Set J7 & J8 to SK
J8
3
2

J7

VMFB
S-K

R1 7.87k

R2 14.7k

++
V+

AO(0)

C5 10n

FilterPro

MFB
S-K

AI(1)
1

U1 OPA170

OPA2170 Sallen-Key
TINA Results
T

Lab Results

Gain (dB)

-20

-40

-60
10

100

1k
Frequency (Hz)

10k

100k

OPA2241 Sallen-Key
Replace OPA2170 with OPA2241
TINA Results

Gain (dB)

Lab Results

-20

-40
10

100

1k
Frequency (Hz)

10k

100k

OPA2241 MFB
Set J7 & J8 to MFB
TINA Results
T

Lab Results

Gain (dB)

-20

-40

-60
10

100

1k
Frequency (Hz)

10k

100k

NI myDAQ Exercise-Filtering
Lab Results

TINA Results
T

-20

Gain (dB)

OPA2241-SK
OPA2241-MFB

-40

OPA2170-SK

OPA2170-MFB
-60
10

100

1k
Frequency (Hz)

FilterPro

10k

100k

OPA2241 GBW=35kHz
OPA2170 GBW=1.2MHz

Further Reading

Successful application of Active Filters

By Thomas Kuehl
Senior Applications Engineer
and
John Caldwell
Applications Engineer
Precision Analog Linear Products
Texas Instruments Tucson, Arizona

Backup/Extra