27

Frequency Response

■ Before starting, review phasor analysis, Bode plots ...

Key concept: small-signal models for amplifiers are linear and therefore,
cosines and sines are solutions of the linear differential equations which arise
from R, C, and controlled source (e.g., Gm) networks.
It is much more efficient to work with imaginary exponentials rather than cosine
and sine functions; the measured function v(t) is considered (by convention) to
be the real part of this imaginary exponential
( jωt + φ ) jφ jωt
v(t) = v cos ( ωt + φ ) → Re ( ve ) = Re ( ve e )

where v is the amplitude and φ is the phase of the sinusoidal signal v(t).

The phasor V is defined as the complex number

jφ
V = ve

Therefore, the measured function is related to the phasor by

jωt
v(t) = Re ( Ve )

EECS 105 Fall 1998

Lecture 27
 Circuit Analysis with Phasors

■ The current through a capacitor is proportional to the derivative of the voltage:

d
i(t) = C v(t)
dt
We assume that all signals in the circuit are represented by sinusoids.
Substitution of the phasor expression for voltage leads to:

jωt jωt d jωt jωt

v(t) → Ve … Ie = C ( Ve ) = jωCVe
dt

which implies that the ratio of the phasor voltage to the phasor current through a
capacitor (the impedance) is

V 1
Z(jω) = --- = ----------
I jωC

■ Implication: the phasor current is linearly proportional to the phasor voltage,

making it possible to solve circuits involving capacitors and inductors as rapidly
as resistive networks ... as long as all signals are sinusoidal.

EECS 105 Fall 1998

Lecture 27
 Phasor Analysis of the Low-Pass Filter

■ Voltage divider with impedances --

R
+

Vin + Vout
C
−
−

Replacing the capacitor by its impedance, 1 / (jωC), we can solve for the
ratio of the phasors Vout / Vin

V out 1/jωC
----------- = -------------------------
V in R + 1/jωC

multiplying by jωC/jωC leads to

V out 1
----------- = -----------------------
V in 1 + jωRC

EECS 105 Fall 1998

Lecture 27
 Frequency Response of LPF Circuits

■ Bode plots: magnitude and phase of the phasor ratio: Vout / Vin
the range of frequencies is very wide (DC --> 108 Hz, for example)
--> plot frequency axis on log scale
the range of magnitudes is also very wide (and we care about ratios of 0.001 in
some applications):
--> plot magnitude on log scale
define magnitude in decibels “dB” by

V out V out
----------- = 20 log -----------
V in dB V in

phase is usually expressed in degrees (rather than radians):

V out Im ( V out ⁄ V in )
∠----------- = atan -----------------------------------
V in Re ( V out ⁄ V in )

EECS 105 Fall 1998

Lecture 27
 Complex Algrebra Review

* Magnitudes:
2 2
Z1 Z1 X1 + Y1
------ = --------
Z2
- = ----------------------- , where
Z2 2 2
X2 + Y2

Z 1 = X 1 + jY 1 Z2 = X2 + Y2

* Phases:
Z1 Y1 Y2
∠------ = ∠Z 1 – ∠Z 2 = atan ------ – atan ------
Z2 X1 X2

* Examples:

EECS 105 Fall 1998

Lecture 27
 Magnitude and Phase Plots of the Low Pass Filter

■ |Vout / Vin | --> 1 for “low” frequencies; |Vout / Vin | --> 0 for “high” frequencies

Vout Vout
Vin Vin
log scale Break point
1 0 dB
scale

0.1 −3dB −20

1 = 0.707
2
0.01 1/ω −40
dB
−20 decade
0.001 −60

0.0001 −80
0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1000 ω
RC RC RC RC RC RC log scale
(a)

V
∠ out
Vin

0° Break point
−45°
−90°
−135°
−180° ω
0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1000
RC RC RC RC RC RC log scale
(b)

The “break point” is when the frequency is equal to ωο = 1 / RC, at which the
ratio of phasors has a magnitude of - 3 dB and the phase is -45o.
The break frequency defines “low” and “high” frequencies.

EECS 105 Fall 1998

Lecture 27
 Finding the Waveform from the Bode Plot

■ Suppose that vin(t) = 100 mV cos (ωοt + 0o)

note that the input signal frequency is equal to the break frequency and that the
phase is 0o ... the input signal phase is arbitrary and is generally selected to be 0.
the output phasor is:
1 1
V out = V in ---------------------------------- = V in -----------
1 + j( ωo ⁄ ωo ) 1+j

magnitude:
V out V in 100mV
----------- = – 3dB … V out = ----------- = ------------------ = 71mV
V in dB 2 2

phase:
V out
∠----------- = ∠1 – ∠( 1 + j ) = 0 – 45° ∠V out = – 45°
V in

– j45°
V out = ( 71mV )e
output waveform vout(t) is given by:

v out(t) = Re  V out e
jω o t – j45° jω o t
= Re ( 71mVe e )
 

o
v out(t) = 71 mVcos ( ω o t – 45 )

EECS 105 Fall 1998

Lecture 27
 Bode Plots of General Transfer Functions

■ Procedure is to identify standard forms in the transfer functions, apply

asymptotic techniques to sketch each form, and then combine the sketches
graphically

Ajω ( 1 + jωτ 2 ) ( 1 + jωτ 4. )... ( 1 + jωτ n )

H ( jω ) = -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
( 1 + jωτ 1 ) ( 1 + jωτ 3 )... ( 1 + jωτ n – 1 )

where the τi are time constants -- (1/τi) are the break frequencies, which are
called poles when in the demoninator and zeroes when in the numerator
■ From complex algebra, the factors can be dealt with separately in the magnitude
and in the phase and the results added up to find |H(jω) | and phase (H(jω))
Three types of factors:
1. poles (binomial factors in the denominator)
2. zeroes (binomial factors in the numerator)
3. jω in the numerator (or denominator)

EECS 105 Fall 1998

Lecture 27
 Rapid Sketching of Bode Plots

■ Poles: - 3 dB and -45o at break frequency

0 dB below and -20 dB/decade above
0o for low frequencies and -90o for high frequencies; width of transition is 10
and (1/10) break frequency
■ Zeros: +3 dB and +45o at break frequency
0 dB below and + 20 dB/decade above
0o for low frequencies and +90o for high frequencies; width of transition is 10
and (1/10) break frequency
■ * jω: +20 dB/decade (0 dB at ω = 1 rad/s) and +90o contribution to phase

Example:

EECS 105 Fall 1998

Lecture 27
EECS 105 Fall 1998
Lecture 27