2140202 Electrical and Circuits Laboratory
Faculty of Engineering
Chulalongkorn University
Filter Circuits [FC]
Ekachai Leelarasmee [March 16, 2009]
Instructor:
Date:
Name: 1)
ID
2)
ID
3)
ID
A filter is a circuit that passes a signal within a certain frequency range while
rejecting those with frequency out of range. Thus its gain is a function of frequency f as
G
G
shown in Fig. 1 where Vout and Vin are amplitudes of vin and v out at frequency f .
JG
V out
gain = JG
V in
vin
vout
f
0
Fig. 1 Block diagram of a low pass filter and its frequency response plot
All types of filter need dynamic components, i.e. capacitors and inductors, to achieve
its frequency dependence characteristic. Unlike resistors, the characteristic equations of
these components involve time derivatives of either voltage or current as shown in Fig. 2.
iR
R
iC = C
vR = iR R
vC
dvC
dt
iL
L
vL = L
diL
dt
Fig. 2. Characteristic equations of a resistor, a capacitor and an inductor
Since we are dealing with sinusoidal signals, we can assume that
v X = V X sin( 2ft + X ) and i X = I X sin( 2ft + X )
where X denotes R,C or L. Substitute them in the characteristic equations to get
Resistor:
This yields
V R sin( 2ft + R ) = R I R (2ft + R )
VR = R I R
and
R = R
Capacitor:
I C sin(2ft + C ) = 2fC VC cos(2ft + C )
This yields
I C = 2fC VC
and
C = C + 90 0
V L sin( 2ft + L ) = 2fL I L cos(2ft + L )
Inductor:
This yields
V L = 2fL I L
and
L = L + 90 0
Using the phasor representation, where j = 1 denotes a 90 0 phase shift, these
equations can be concisely written as
Resistor:
Capacitor:
Inductor:
G
G
VR = R I R
G
G
I C = j 2fC VC
G
G
VL = j 2fL I L
Hence, all 3 component equations can be cast in the same form as
G
G
VX = Z ( f ) I X
1
where Z ( f ) = R ,
and j 2fL for X = R,L and C respectively. It is called the
j 2fC
impedance of the component.
In a filter, we can combine these component equations with the KVL or KCL equations
to obtain its solution. This is illustrated in the following example.
Example 1: A first order low pass RC filter
JG
V out
JG
V in
1
2
vin
vout
f3dB
Fig. 4 An RC filter and its frequency response
i R = iC = i
In this circuit, we see that
Applying KVL to the circuit using phasor notations, we get
So
G
G
G
G
G
j 2fC
I
Vin = I R +
or
I =
Vin
j 2fC
1 + j 2fCR
G
G
G
I
1
Vout =
=
Vin
j 2fC
1 + j 2fCR
Hence the filter gain is
G
Vout
1
G =
1 + j 2fCR
Vin
which indicates a frequency dependency. Since j = 1 , the gain magnitude must be
calculated using complex arithmetic, i.e.
G
Vout
G =
Vin
where
f 3dB =
1
1 + (2fCR ) 2
1
1 + ( f / f 3dB ) 2
1
is called the 3dB cut-off frequency.
2CR
This gain is plotted in Fig. 4 and is called the frequency response of the filter. However, it
is customary to plot the frequency response in a log-log scale as will be done in the
experiment.
Instructions
a) Construct your circuits on a strip of proto-board as shown below.
Protoboard
b) Components are provided adequately in a plastic box. Should you need extra
components, please contact the lecturer. Do not borrow them from your friends.
c) Resistors are marked with four coloured bands. Three of them are for resistance
calculation as shown in the Fig 5. The other specifies its tolerance which is 5% for
a gold band and 1% for a brown band.
For example, if the four color bands are red(2), green(5), orange(3) and gold
respectively, the resistance is 25,000 5% ohms.
1st No. 2nd No. No. of trailing zero
Colour
Value
tolerance
black brown red Orange yellow green blue purple gray white
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Figure 5: Resistance= (1st colour value*10 + second colour value)*10 third one value.
Experiment #1 A First Order RC Low Pass Filter
1.1)
Construct an RC circuit and connect it to a function generator and an
oscilloscope.
vin
50
1.2)
10K
Sin(2 ft )
vout
0.01 F
Set the frequency f of the function generator at 100Hz 10% and the
TIME/DIV of the oscilloscope at 2mS. This setting should give a two cycle
display of the waveform on the screen. Adjust the amplitude of the generators
output so that the oscilloscope shows vin and vout with 1Volt peak (or 2Volt
peak to peak) readings as shown below. Note that both waveforms may coincide
with each other if the zero levels of each channel are the same.
0.5V / div
2mS / div
1.3)
Vary f to within 10% of the value in table. To measure f , set the
TIME/DIV so that the oscilloscope displays at least two cycles of the waveform
and use the vertical cursors. Record the actual value of f and the peak value of
vout in the table. At high frequencies, you may have to reduce the VOLT/DIV
of vout (CH 2) to obtain an accurate reading.
f (H Z )
10%
actual
Vout
peak
f (H Z )
10%
actual
Vout
peak
10%
100
1K
10K
200
2K
20K
400
4K
40K
800
8K
80K
1.4)
Vout
f (H Z )
peak
actual
Plot the obtained data in the log-log graph below.
V out
Change the output of the function generator from sine to square and set its
frequency at 1KHz 10% . The oscilloscope settings should be as follows :
TIME/DIV = 0.2 mS and CH1&2: 0.5 Volt/Div AC.
Adjust the amplitude of the generator so that vin is a 1V square wave (or
2Volt peak to peak). Record both vin and vout in the same graph below. Make sure that
their zero levels are in the middle of the screen.
1.5)
0.5V / div
0.2mS / div
1.6)
Repeat 1.5 again with the frequency set to 500Hz 10% and 2KHz 10%
without changing the TIME/DIV and VOLT/DIV settings on the oscilloscope.
Record vin and vout in the graphs below for each frequency.
500 Hz 10%
0.5V / div
2 KHz 10%
0.5V / div
0.2mS / div
0.2mS / div
Experiment #2 A First Order RC High Pass Filter
2.1)
Construct a CR circuit below and connect it to a function generator and an
oscilloscope as follows
vin
50
0.01 F
Sin(2 ft )
vout
1K
2.2) Set the frequency ( f ) of the function generator at 100KHz 10% and the
TIME/DIV of the oscilloscope at 2S . This setting should give a two cycle display of
the waveform on the screen. Adjust the amplitude of the generators output so that the
oscilloscope shows vin and vout with 1Volt peak (or 2Volt peak to peak) readings as
shown below. Note that both waveforms may coincide with each other if the zero levels
of each channel are the same.
0.5V / div
2 S / div
2.3) Vary f to within 10% of the value in table. To measure f , set the
TIME/DIV so that the oscilloscope displays at least two cycles of the waveform and use
the vertical cursors. Record the actual value of f and the peak value of vout in the table.
At low frequencies, you may have to change the VOLT/DIV of vout (CH 2) to obtain an
accurate reading.
f (H Z )
10%
actual
Vout
peak
f (H Z )
10%
actual
Vout
peak
10%
80K
8K
800
40K
4K
400
20K
2K
200
10K
1K
100
2.4)
Vout
f (H Z )
peak
actual
Plot the obtained data in the log-log graph below.
V out
Change the output of the function generator from sine to square and set its
frequency at 10KHz 10% . The settings on the oscilloscope should be as
CH1&2: 0.5 Volt/Div AC.
follows: TIME/DIV = 20S
Adjust the amplitude of the generator so that vin is displayed as a 1V square
wave (or 2Volt peak to peak). Record both vin and vout in the same graph below. Make
sure that their zero levels are in the middle of the screen.
2.5)
0.5V / div
20 S / div
2.6)
Repeat 2.5 again with the frequency set to 5KHz 10% and 20KHz 10%
without changing the TIME/DIV and VOLT/DIV settings. Record vin and vout
on the graphs below for each frequency.
5kHz 10%
0.5V / div
20kHz 10%
0.5V / div
20 S / div
20 S / div
10
Experiment #3 A Second Order RLC Low Pass Filter
3.1)
Construct an RLC circuit below and connect it to a function generator and an
oscilloscope as follows
vin
50
3.2)
vout
470 33mH
Sin(2 ft )
0.01 F
Set the frequency f of the function generator at 100Hz 10% and the
TIME/DIV of the oscilloscope at 2mS. This setting should give a two cycle
display of the waveform on the screen. Adjust the amplitude of the generators
output so that the oscilloscope shows vin and vout with 1Volt peak (or 2Volt
peak to peak) readings as shown below. Note that both waveforms may coincide
with each other if the zero levels of each channel are the same.
0.5V / div
2mS / div
3.3)
Vary f to within 10% of the value in the table. To measure f , set the
TIME/DIV so that the oscilloscope displays at least two cycles of the waveform
and use the vertical cursors. Record the actual value of f and the peak value of
11
vout in the table. At high frequencies, you may have to change the VOLT/DIV
of vout (CH 2) to obtain an accurate reading.
f (H Z )
10%
actual
Vout
peak
f (H Z )
10%
actual
Vout
peak
10%
100
1K
10K
200
2K
20K
400
4K
40K
800
8K
80K
3.4)
Vout
f (H Z )
peak
actual
Plot the obtained data in the log-log graph below.
V out
3.5)
Change the output of the function generator from sine to square and set its
frequency at 1KHz 10% . The oscilloscope settings should be as follows:
TIME/DIV = 0.2 mS and CH1&2: 0.5 Volt/Div AC.
12
Adjust the amplitude of the generator so that vin is displayed as a 1V square
wave (or 2Volt peak to peak). Record both vin and vout in the same graph below. Make
sure that their zero levels are in the middle of the screen.
0.5V / div
0.2mS / div
3.6)
Repeat 3.5 again with the frequency set to 500Hz 10% and 2KHz 10%
without changing the TIME/DIV and VOLT/DIV settings. Record vin and vout
on the graphs below for each frequency.
500 Hz 10%
0.5V / div
2 KHz 10%
0.5V / div
0.2mS / div
0.2mS / div
Assignments:
1) From experiment #1, if vin = sin( 200 t ) + sin( 20000 t ) , what would vout be ?.
G
Vout
2) From experiment #1, derive the gain G of the CR circuit as a function of f .
Vin
13
3) Discuss the differences between the low pass filters of experiment #1 and #3 that
you can observe.
14
