BENG 186B Bode Plot Guide

Winter 2012
By: Jason Caffrey
This guide serves as an introduction to finding magnitude and phase of transfer functions, as well
as making Bode plots, which you may see throughout the class. Full length examples can be
found at the end of the guide.

I. Bode Plot Introduction

Bode plots give engineers a way to visualize the effect of their circuit, in terms of voltage
magnitude and phase angle (shift). A Bode plot consists of two separate plots, one for magnitude
and one for phase angle.

II. Magnitude
The first part of making a Bode plot is finding the magnitude of the transfer function. Remember
that the transfer function is the black box of your circuit which changes the voltage input into
the voltage output:

Vout
H ( j ) = (1)
Vin

Often times, the transfer function H ( j ) has both real and imaginary components, due to
frequency dependent impedances, such as the general form A + jB . Just as it sounds, finding the
magnitude follows the form:

)
H ( j= A2 + B 2 (2)

One way of visualizing magnitude is by a polar coordinate sketch.

jB

1
For the purposes of making a Bode plot, log-normalized amplitude is used on the y-axis of the
magnitude plot. This makes amplitude in units of dB (decibels).

A( j ) = 20log10 ( H ( j ) (3)

A log scale is also used for radial frequency ( ) on the x-axis. This yields the following plot
format:
[log]

dB -20

-40

0 1 10 100 1000 [log]

rad/s
For more complex transfer functions, follow these steps:
1) Determine the transfer function of the system.

( s + z1 )( s + z2 )
H (s) = (4)
s ( s + p1 )

Where the poles are at s = 0 and s = p1 , and the zeros are at s = z1 and s = z2 in the s
domain. In the frequency domain, these represent the break frequencies at which the plot
is 3dB.

Note: In the s domain, roots of the numerator are called zeros and roots of the
denominator are called poles.

2) Convert your transfer function into the frequency domain by substituting j for s .
Rewrite both the numerator and denominator into standard form.

z1 z2 ( j / z1 + 1)( j / z2 + 1)
H ( j ) = (5)
p1 j ( j / p1 + 1)

3) Find magnitude of the transfer function using Eqn. (2)

2
 A( ) H
= = ( j )
z1 z2 ( ( / z1 ) 2 + 1 )( ( / z2 ) 2 + 1 )
( )
(6)
p1 ( / p1 ) 2 + 1

Hint: remember that the magnitude of the ratio (Vout/Vin) is the ratio of the magnitudes.
This means that:

Num Num
H ( j )
= = (7)
Denom Denom

To convert this to units of dB for making your Bode plot:

A( ) in dB 20log
= = 10 H ( j )

z z
log10 1 2
20 p1

+ log10

( )
( / z1 ) 2 + 1 + log10 ( )
( / z2 ) 2 + 1 log10 ( )

(8)

(
log10 ( / p1 ) 2 + 1 )

Be sure to remember your log rules:

( AB ) log ( A) + log ( B )
log= (9)

A
=
log log ( A ) log ( B ) (10)
B

Notice that when 0 , the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th terms of Eqn. (8) become zero. On a log-log
magnitude plot, these terms becomes a flat line through zero.

When , the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th terms of Eqn. (8) become log10 , log10 , and
z1 z2

log10 respectively. On a log-log magnitude plot, these terms becomes a line with a
p1
slope of 1.
If you were to plot magnitude curve, each of the zeros contributes an upward kink,
while each of the poles contributes a downward kink on the frequency ( ) axis. Lets
take a look at contribution to the curve from each of the term in Eqn. 8 (Note: the break
frequencies for the poles/zeros are randomly chosen for the purpose of the plot example):

3
 z z
Term (constant): 20log10 1 2
p
1

[log]

dB -20

-40

0 1 10 100 1000 [log]

rad/s

Term (zero): 20log10 ( ( / z1 ) 2 + 1 )

[log]

40

dB 20
3
0

z1 [log]
0 1 10 100 1000
rad/s
Term (zero): 20log10 ( ( / z2 ) 2 + 1 )
[log]

40

dB 20
3
0

z2
0 1 10 100 1000 [log]
rad/s 4
Term (pole): 20log10 ( )

[log]

dB -20

-40

0 1 10 100 1000 [log]

rad/s

Term (pole): 20log10 ( ( / p1 ) 2 + 1 )

[log]

0
-3
dB -20

-40

p1
0 1 10 100 1000 [log]
rad/s
Now, using superposition, we can sum the contributions from each of the magnitude
terms (previous 5 plots), yielding the overall magnitude plot.
[log]

dB 0

-40

z1 z2 p1
0 1 10 100 1000 [log]
rad/s
5
 To refine your plot, you may smooth the boundaries between poles/zeros for a more
realistic plot.

III. Phase Angle

The second part of making a Bode plot is finding the phase angle of the transfer function. The
phase angle can be thought of as the offset in time (degrees), as in the following sine wave
example:

Phase
Offset
0 90 180 270 360 450

Finding Phase Angle

The phase angle is denoted by the symbol . For simple functions, phase is simply:

V
H ( j ) =
out (11)
Vin

By the definition of phase, the following statement can be made:

Vout Imaginary [ H ( j ) ]
tan 1
=
Real [ H ( j ) ]
(12)
Vin

You can visualize phase from arctan by the polar coordinate sketch.

jB

where
A

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For more complex functions, you can use the definition of phase to calculate the phase of the
numerator and denominator separately.

Vout Vout
= = Vout Vin (13)
Vin Vin

To determine phase angle of each term, simply use the arctan, Eqn. (12).

A log scale is also used for radial frequency ( ) on the x-axis. The y-axis is phase angle in
degrees (linear scale, not log). This yields the following plot format:

90

45

0
0 1 10 100 1000 [log]
rad/s

For more complex transfer functions, use the following steps to plot phase. Lets use the same
transfer function as in the magnitude plot.

z1 z2 ( j / z1 + 1)( j / z2 + 1)
H ( j ) =
p1 j ( j / p1 + 1) (14)

Use Eqn. (11) and (13) to find phase angle.

z z ( j / z1 + 1)( j / z2 + 1) z1 z2 ( j / z1 + 1)( j / z2 + 1)
H ( j ) =
1 2 =
p1 j ( j / p1 + 1) p1 j ( j / p1 + 1) (15)

Separate terms using multiplication and division rules

z1 z2
H ( j ) = + ( j / z1 + 1) + ( j / z2 + 1) j ( j / p1 + 1)
p1 (16)
Use Eqn. (12) to solve for the angle of each term

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 0 1 / z1 1 / z 2 1 1 / p1
H ( j ) tan 1
= + tan + tan tan tan
z1 z2 / p1 1 1 0 1 (17)

The 1st and 4th terms can then be simplified

/ z1 1 / z2 1 / p1
H ( j ) = 0 + tan 1 + tan 90 tan
1 1 1 (18)

H ( j ) = 90 + tan 1 ( / z1 ) + tan 1 ( / z2 ) tan 1 ( / p1 )

(19)

Notice that when 0 , the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th terms of Eqn. (19) become zero.

When , the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th terms of Eqn. (19) become 90 , 90 , and 90 respectively.

If you were to plot the phase curve, each of the zeros contributes a +90 offset, while each of the
poles contributes a 90 offset. Lets take a look at contribution to the curve from each of the
terms in Eqn. 19 (Note: the break frequencies for the poles/zeros are randomly chosen for the
purpose of the plot example):

Term (constant): 90

-90

0 1 10 100 1000 [log]

rad/s
Term (zero): tan 1 ( / z1 )

90

45

0
z1 [log]
0 1 10 100 1000
rad/s 8
Term (zero): tan 1 ( / z2 )

90

45

0
z2 [log]
0 1 10 100 1000
rad/s

Term (pole): tan 1 ( / p1 )

-45

-90 p1
0 1 10 100 1000 [log]
rad/s
Now, using superposition, we can sum the contributions from each of the phase terms (previous
4 plots), yielding the overall phase plot.

90

-90
z1 z2 p1 [log]
0 1 10 100 1000
rad/s

9
To refine your plot, you may smooth the boundaries between poles/zeros for a more realistic
plot.
The amplitude and phase plots are closely related: for every up (down) kink in log amplitude
there is an up (down) step in phase angle.

IV. Estimation Methods

First, convert your transfer function to standard form, as in Eqn. (5). For each pole and zero,
determine where the break frequency is, by solving for each respective term. For example:

z1 z2 ( j / z1 + 1)( j / z2 + 1)
H ( j ) = (20)
j / p1 ( j / p1 + 1)

Magnitude
Then use these general rules for sketching your magnitude curve:
1) Find the initial value of the transfer function as 0 and . These are the values
of your lower and upper frequency bounds, respectively

2) For every pole, the slope of the magnitude curve decreases by 1, where at the break
frequency, the curve value is decreased -3dB.

For every zero, the slope of the magnitude curve increases by 1, where at the break
frequency, the curve value is increased +3dB .

Note: A slope of 1 is equal to 20dB/decade (8dB/octave)

Poles and zeros can also occur at s = 0 . In the following case, a zero occurs at s = 0 :
s ( s / 10 + 1)
H (s) = (21)
10000( s / 100 + 1)( s / 1000 + 1)

For this example: zeros occur at s = 0 and s = 10 , poles occur at s = 100 and s = 1000 .

Zeros at s = 0 increase the initial slope by 1, while poles at s = 0 decrease the initial slope
by 1. If there are no zeros/poles at s = 0 , the initial slope of the magnitude curve is 0.

Phase
Then use these general rules for sketching your phase curve:
1) For every pole, the angle of the phase plot decreases by 90, where at the break
frequency, the curve value is decreased 45.
For every zero, the angle of the phase plot increases by 90, where at the break
frequency, the curve value is increased 45.

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 Zeros at s = 0 increase the initial phase by 90, while poles at s = 0 decrease the initial
slope by 90. These "steps" are smooth and their transitions are centered around the pole
and zero values on the frequency ( ) axis. If there are no zeros/poles at s = 0 , the initial
value of the phase curve is 0.

Note: You may also use MATLAB or another graphing program to make your Bode plots for
homework (but you cant do this on tests, so know how to do them by hand).

V. References

1. F.L. Lewis 2004. EE 4443/4329 - Bode plots lecture notes. The University of Texas at
Arlington.
2. R.V. Jones. EE105, Spring 2000 lecture notes. Harvard University.
3. Wikipedia : Bode Plots. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bode_plot

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VI. Example 1: Passive Low Pass Filter

R
Vin Vout

Starting with the transfer function of a passive low pass filter

Vout 1
)
H ( j= = (22)
Vin 1 + j RC

Magnitude

1 1
H ( j )
= = (23)
1 + j RC 1 + j RC

Using Eqn. (2):

1
H ( j ) = (24)
1 + 2 R 2C 2

1
=A( j ) 20log
= 10 H ( j ) 20log10 in units of dB (25)
1 + 2 2 2
R C

Sample magnitude plot (cutoff frequency depends on components values R,C):

[log]

dB -3

c
[log]
0 1 10 100 1000

Looking at the limits of frequency, as 0 , A( j ) 0 . As , A( j ) .

12
Phase

1
H ( j ) =
(26)
1 + j RC

H ( j ) = 1 (1 + j RC ) (27)

Since the phase angle of a real constant is 0:

H ( j ) = (1 + j RC ) (28)

RC
H ( j ) =
tan 1 (29)
1
Sample phase plot:

-45

-90
[log]
0 1 10 100 1000
rad/s

Looking at the limits of frequency, as 0 , H ( j ) 0 . As , H ( j ) 90 .

13
 VII. Example 2: Bandpass (High Pass Low Pass) Filter

C1
R2
Vin Vout

R1
C2

Starting with the transfer function

Vout j R1C1 1
)
H ( j= =
Vin 1 + j R1C1 1 + j R2C2
(30)
Multiplying the two filter transfer functions together

j R1C1
H ( j ) =
R1C1R2C2 + j R1C1 + j R2C2 + 1
2
(31)
Grouping real and imaginary terms

j R1C1
H ( j ) =
1 R1C1R2C2 + j ( R1C1 + R2C2 )
2
(32)

Magnitude

j R1C1 j R1C1
H ( j ) =
1 R1C1R2C2 + j ( R1C1 + R2C2 ) 1 R1C1R2C2 + j ( R1C1 + R2C2 )
2 2
(33)

R1C1
H ( j ) =
(1 R C R C ) + ( ( R C + R2C2 ) )
2 2
2
1 1 2 2 1 1
(34)

R1C1
=A( j ) 20log
= 10 H ( j ) 20log10
(1 R C R C ) + ( ( R C + R C ) )
2 2
2

1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2
(35)

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Sample magnitude plot (shape and cutoff frequencies depend on components values R,C):
[log]

dB -3

c1 c2

[log]
0 1 10 100 1000
rad/s
Looking at the limits of frequency, as 0 , A( j ) 0 . As , A( j ) 0 .

Phase

j R1C1
H ( j ) =

1 R1C1R2C2 + j ( R1C1 + R2C2 )
2
(36)

(
H ( j ) = j R1C1 1 2 R1C1R2C2 + j ( R1C1 + R2C2 ) ) (37)
From Eqn. (12):

R C ( R1C1 + R2C2 )
( j ) tan 1 1 1 tan 1
H=
0 1 R1C1R2C
2
(38)

( R1C1 + R2C2 )
H ( j ) =
90 tan 1
1 R1C1R2C
2
(39)
Sample phase plot:

90

-90
[log]
0 1 10 100 1000
rad/s
Looking at the limits of frequency, as 0 , H ( j ) 90 . As , H ( j ) 90 .

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