University of Technology

Department of Communication Engineering

Optical Communication Systems Engineering Branch

Active Band-Pass Filters

Experiment No.3 in Communication Electronics Laboratory II
June 17, 2021

Mousa Saad Luaibi

Second Year
 Communication Electronics Laboratory II Exp.No.3: Active Band-Pass Filters

▪ Objective
To implement active band-pass filters and study the frequency response for different filter order
settings.

▪ Equipment
1. Personal computer.
2. Multisim software.
3. Bread board.
4. Electrical components.

▪ Theory

A band-pass filter passes all signals lying within a band between a lower frequency and an upper
frequency and rejects all other signals with frequencies outside this specified band. A generalized
band-pass frequency response curve is shown in Figure (1).

Figure (1) Generalized response of a band-pass filter.

The bandwidth 𝐵𝑊 is defined as the difference between the upper critical frequency 𝑓𝑐2 and
the lower critical frequency 𝑓𝑐1 . The bandwidth is given by:

𝐵𝑊 = 𝑓𝑐2 − 𝑓𝑐1
 Communication Electronics Laboratory II Exp.No.3: Active Band-Pass Filters

The center frequency of a band-pass filter is calculated as follows:

𝑓𝑜 = √𝑓𝑐1𝑓𝑐2

The quality factor 𝑄 of a band-pass filter is the ratio of the center frequency to the bandwidth
and it is given by:
𝑓𝑜
𝑄=
𝐵𝑊

The value of 𝑄 is an indication of the selectivity of a band-pass filter. The higher the value of 𝑄,
the narrower the bandwidth and the better the selectivity for a given value of 𝑓𝑜 . Band-pass
filters are sometimes classified as narrow-band 𝑄 > 10 or wide-band 𝑄 < 10. The quality
factor 𝑄 can also be expressed in terms of the damping factor 𝐷𝐹 of the filter as:

1
𝑄=
𝐷𝐹

Band-pass filters can be produced by cascading Low-Pass and High-Pass Filters, as shown in
Figure (2). The response is shown in Figure (3).

Figure (2). A band-pass filter.

 Communication Electronics Laboratory II Exp.No.3: Active Band-Pass Filters

Figure (3). Response of a band-pass filter.

For figure (3) shows generalized band-pass filters, in which the following frequencies are
defined:
1
𝑓𝑐1 =
2𝜋√𝑅𝐴1𝑅𝐵1 𝐶𝐴1𝐶𝐵1

1
𝑓𝑐2 =
2𝜋√𝑅𝐴2𝑅𝐵2 𝐶𝐴2𝐶𝐵2

𝑓𝑜 = √𝑓𝑐1𝑓𝑐2

Of course, if equal-value components are used in implementing each filter, the critical
frequency equations simplify to the form:

1
𝑓𝑐 =
2𝜋𝑅𝐶

▪ Procedure
1. I’ll use Multisim software to implement the circuit shown in Figure (4).
2. I’ll apply a sinusoidal signal of 5 kHz and amplitude of 1 Vpk-pk to the input of the filter,
and I’ll measure the amplitude of the output signal.
3. I'll repeat step (2) for the range of frequencies and construct the table below.
4. I’ll plot the gain in dB against frequency on a semi-log graph paper.
Communication Electronics Laboratory II Exp.No.3: Active Band-Pass Filters

Figure (4). Filter under test.

Frequency (Hz) Vout(pk-pk) Gain (AV) Gain (dB)

1 kHz
2 kHz
3 kHz
4 kHz
8 kHz
10 kHz
20 kHz
40 kHz
45 kHz
50 kHz

5. From the obtained graph, I’ll determine the lower and upper frequencies and hence
determine the bandwidth and the quality factor 𝑄 of the filter and compare with
theoretically calculated values.
6. I’ll use identical sections of high-pass and low-pass filters to increase the
order of the filter to 8.
7. I'll repeat steps (1-5) and compare response with the filter 4th order in Figure (4).
8. In all cases, I'll set the value of R3 and R7 to give Butterworth frequency response
according to the table given in my lecture notes.
 Communication Electronics Laboratory II Exp.No.3: Active Band-Pass Filters

▪ Discussion
1. I'll discuss the effect of increasing the order of the filter on the frequency response of
the filter.

➢ Same the responses for each filter order, but the difference in the roll-off rate
that becomes sharper and speed, and the response approaches from the
response of the ideal filter.

2. I'll measure the slope of the transition line in each case and comment on the type of
response whether it matches theory or not.
dB
➢ The roll-off rate (transition region) = (order × −20 ):
decade
At order=4, (-80 dB/decade).
At order=8, (-160 dB/decade).

➢ The type of response is band-pass Butterworth (pass the median and specific
frequencies and cut another frequencies), and I noticed that the higher the
filter order, the roll-off rate becomes sharper and speed, and this according to
theory.

3. I'll discuss the meaning of the quality factor and how band-pass filters are classified.

➢ The quality factor (𝑄) is a metric of how narrow or wide the bandwidth for the
frequencies, and is the ratio between the center frequency to the bandwidth.
𝑓𝑜
𝑄=
𝐵𝑊
➢ Band-pass filters are classified to:
• Wide band-pass Filter: It can get when the quality factor is low (𝑄 < 10).
• Narrow Bandpass Filter: It can get when the quality factor is high (𝑄 > 10).

4. I'll discuss is there any other way to obtain a band-pass filter without cascading high
pass and low pass filters.

➢ This is possible by a multiple-feedback band-pass filter, where components R1

and C1 provide the low-pass response, and R2 and C2 provide the high-pass
response.
Communication Electronics Laboratory II Exp.No.3: Active Band-Pass Filters

A multiple-feedback band-pass filter.

5. I'll discuss in communication circuits such as transmitters and receivers, in what

stages band pass filters can be used.

➢ In transmitter, it uses to pass only required signal (the band using for the
transmission) and prevent the interfering of signal with unwanted signals.
➢ In receiver, it allows demodulation during a specified range of frequencies and
security from mix the signal with unwanted signals.

6. I'll discuss how would I test the filtering capability of the given band-pass filter.

➢ When the quality factor is high, the bandwidth will narrow, thus improving the
selectivity of the required frequencies range.
 Communication Electronics Laboratory II Exp.No.3: Active Band-Pass Filters

▪ Result sheets
 Communication Electronics Laboratory II Exp.No.3: Active Band-Pass Filters

▪ Graph papers

Frequency response of Active Band-Pass filter.

Communication Electronics Laboratory II Exp.No.3: Active Band-Pass Filters

1 1
𝑓𝑐1 = = ≅ 3.38 𝑘𝐻𝑧
2𝜋𝑅𝐶 (2)(3.14)(1000)(0.047 × 10−6 )

1 1
𝑓𝑐2 = = ≅ 7.23 𝑘𝐻𝑧
2𝜋𝑅𝐶 (2)(3.14)(1000)(0.022 × 10−6 )

𝐵𝑊 = 𝑓𝑐2 − 𝑓𝑐1 = 7.23 − 3.38 = 3.85 𝑘𝐻𝑧

𝑓𝑜 = √𝑓𝑐1 𝑓𝑐2 = √(3.38)(7.23) = 4.94 𝑘𝐻𝑧

𝑓𝑜 4.94
𝑄= = = 1.28
𝐵𝑊 3.85