1

Characterization of Phase Frequency

Response of
Four Analog Filter Approximation
Techniques Due the Excitation of
Impulse, Step and Square Wave Signals
Njoroge Muhia Paul, E021-01-0708/2013.
B.Sc Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology

AbstractIn the field of digital signal processing,

the function of a filter is to remove unwanted parts
of the signal such as random noise that is also
undesirable. To remove noise from the speech
signal transmission or to extract useful parts of the
signal such as the components lying within a
certain frequency range. Filters are broadly used in
signal processing and communication systems in
applications such as channel equalization, noise
reduction, radar, audio processing, speech signal
processing, video processing, biomedical signal
processing that is noisy ECG, EEG, EMG signal
filtering, electrical circuit analysis and analysis of
economic and financial data. In this paper, four
types of filters are discussed i.e. Butterworth,
Chebyshev type 1 and type 2 and Bessel Thompson
filter. The question often arises as to which filter
approximation is superior to the others in terms of
passband behaviors, stopband attenuation and the
linearity of the phase response. This paper seek to
answer this question by investigating the response
of the four configurations when excited by an
impulse, step and a square wave signal. All filters
have been designed using MATLAB software.
KeywordsImpulse response, step response, phase
frequency response, Butterworth, Chebyshev,
Bessel Thompson.

I. INTRODUCTION
NALOG filters are indispensable parts in
interface with the analog real world.
Analog and digital circuits are often
implemented together on the same integrated
circuit chip [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]. Also, the most
popular approach in digital infinite-impulseresponse (IIR) filters design is based on
transformation
methods
from
analog
counterpart [6], [7], [8]. There is no doubt that
design of analog filters is a fundamental
problem in signal processing, communications,
and control. The traditional analog filter design
consists
of
two
major
portions:
the
approximation problem and the synthesis

problem. Different analog filter approximation

will be better suited to different applications.
Analog electronic filters consisted of resistors,
capacitors and inductors are normally IIR
filters [9]. The capacitors (or inductors) in the
analog filter have a "memory" and their
internal state never completely relaxes
following an impulse. But after an impulse
response has reached the end of the tapped
delay line, the system has no further memory
of that impulse. As a result, it has returned to
its initial state. Its impulse response beyond
that point is exactly zero. IIR filter has certain
properties such as width of the pass-band,
stop-band, maximum allowable ripple at passband and maximum allowable ripple at
stopband [10]. A desired design of IIR filter can
be done with the help of those properties.
In this paper we will be showing the different
analog filter approximation method used due
to excitation of impulse, step and square wave
signals and compare the results with
Butterworth, Bessel Thompson, Chebyshev
type 1 and type 2.
II. METHODOLOGY
MATLAB functions were used to realize the
analog approximation methods graphs.
The Butterworth filter has a maximally flat
response that is, no passband ripple and rolloff of minus 20db per pole. It is flat maximally
magnitude filters at the frequency of j= 0,
as the first 2N - 1 derivatives of the transfer
function when j = 0 are equal to zero. The
phase response of the Butterworth filter
becomes more nonlinear with increasing N.
This
filter
is
completely
defined

mathematically by two parameters; they are

cut off frequency and number of poles. The
magnitude squared response of low pass
Butterworth filter is given by,

(1)
The absolute difference between the ideal and
actual frequency response over the entire
passband is minimized by Chebyshev Type I
filter by incorporating equal ripple in the
passband. Stopband response is maximally
flat. The transition from passband to stopband
is more rapid than for the Butterworth filter.
The magnitude squared Chebyshev

Fig 3: Impulse response of 8th order filter.

(2.1)

(2.2)

III. SIMULATION RESULTS

Fig 4: Poles of 8th order filter.

Fig 1: Magnitude response of 8th order filter.

Fig 5: Step response of 8th order.

Fig 2: Phase response of 8th order filter.

IV. DISCUSSION OF THE SIMULATION RESULTS

Low Pass filter has pure poles. All other
filters have complementary zero. But,
Butterworth LPF has complex poles. An
important property of the Butterworth filter is
the gain flatness in the passband. It has a
realistically good phase response. Butterworth

filter has a poor roll-off rate. On the other

hand Chebyshev has a better (steeper) roll-off
rate because the ripple increases. The phase
response is very non-linear. Bessel filters offer
steepest
roll-off
characteristics
than
Butterworth or Chebyshev I filter, but are
equiripple in both the pass- and stopbands.
Elliptic filter has a shorter transition region
than the Chebyshev type I filter .The main
reason is that it allows ripple in both the stop
band and pass band. It is the addition of zeros
in the stop band that causes ripples in the
stop band.
V. CONCLUSION
Beside the mathematical comparison among
Butterworth and Chebyshev type I, in this
paper,
these
filters
have
also
been
encountered with the designed low pass, high
pass, band pass and band stop infinite impulse
response filter with a view to comparing their
responses for different parameters like
impulse response, magnitude response, phase
response and pole zero characteristics all done
using MATLAB simulation. The filter order,
passband and stopband ripple are considered
for the design of the IIR filter. It has been
found that the Butterworth filter is the best
compromise between attenuation and phase
response. It has no ripple in the pass band or
the stop band.

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