LAB 05

Experiment Title: Study of a 741 Operational Amplifier as Active High Pass and Low Pass
Filters
Objective: To study op-amp as High-pass Active filters

What is a high pass filter?

As the name implies, a high pass filter is a filter that passes the higher frequencies and rejects those
at lower frequencies.

This can be used in many instances, for example when needing to reject low frequency noise, hum,
etc. from signals. This may be useful in some audio applications to remove low frequency hum, or
within RF to remove low frequency signals that are not required.

Op amp high pass filters are very easy to design and have straightforward equations for the
Butterworth response

This first-order high pass filter, consists simply of a passive filter followed by a non-
inverting amplifier. The frequency response of the circuit is the same as that of the passive filter,
except that the amplitude of the signal is increased by the gain of the amplifier
Although any form of filter response can be chosen, the Butterworth response simplifies the
equations and it is possible to calculate the values required in seconds.

Despite the ease of design, op amp high pass filters are able to provide a high level of performance
from just a relatively small number of components. Op amp high pass filters are easy to implement
using a few components and they are required in a variety of different circuits to eliminate hum
and other noise.
 High pass filter response curve
The shape of the curve is of importance. One of the most important features is the cut-off
frequency. This is normally taken as the point where the response has fallen by 3dB.

Another important feature is the final slope of the roll off. This is generally governed by the number
of 'poles' in the filter. Normally there is one pole for each capacitor inductor in a filter.

When plotted on a logarithmic scale the ultimate roll-off becomes a straight line, with the response
falling at the ultimate roll off rate. This is 6dB per pole within the filter.

Single pole op amp high pass filter

The simplest circuit high pass filter circuit using an operational amplifier can be achieved by
placing a capacitor in series with one of the resistors in the amplifier circuit as shown. The
capacitor reactance increases as the frequency falls, and as a result this forms a CR low pass filter
providing a roll off of 6 dB per octave.

The cut off frequency or break point of the filter can be calculated very easily by working out the
frequency at which the reactance of the capacitor equals the resistance of the resistor. This can be
achieved using the formula:

1
𝑋𝑐 =
2𝜋𝑓𝐶
Where:
Xc is the capacitive reactance in ohms
π is equal to 3.142
f is the frequency in Hertz
C is the capacitance in Farads
 Rf

Single Pole High Pass Inverting

Rf

Single Pole High

Pass Non-Inverting

Two pole active high pass filter (Second Order High Pass Filter)

Although it is possible to design a wide variety of filters with different levels of gain and different
roll off patterns using operational amplifiers, the filter described on this page will give a good sure-
fire solution. It offers unity gain and a Butterworth response (the flattest response in band, but not
the fastest to achieve ultimate roll off out of band).

Second-order Active High Pass Filter Circuit (Two-pole non-inverting)

Active high pass op amp filter circuit
The calculations for the circuit values are very straightforward for the Butterworth response and
unity gain scenario. Critical damping is required for the circuit and the ratio of the resistor vales
determines this.

R1 = R2

C1 = 2C2

√2
𝑓 =
4 𝜋 𝑅 𝐶2
When choosing the values, ensure that the resistor values fall in the region between 10 kΩ and
100kΩ. This is advisable because the output impedance of the circuit rises with increasing
frequency and values outside this region may affect the performance.

When using the op amp active high pass filter higher levels of attenuation and steeper roll-off
can be achieved by cascading a number of circuits. The design can also be altered to
accommodate different forms of filter, although the calculations do become more difficult.

ACTIVE HIGH PASS SECOND ORDER FILTER

40 dB/Decade High Pass Butterworth Filter
Equipment

▪ IC: 741 1 Piece

▪ Resistor: 10k 4 Pieces
▪ Resistor: 33k 1 Piece
▪ Capacitor: 0.22uF 2 Pieces
▪ AT-7000 Trainer Board 1 Unit
▪ DC Power Supply 1 Unit
▪ Oscilloscope 1 Unit
▪ Multimeter 1 Unit
▪ Wires

Component Pin-out
 R1

1.2K 2.2K

Rf
+15V
-
C1 C2 741

+
0.1uF 0.1uF -15V
Vi R2 2.2K Vo
10K
AC
RL

1. fc = 1Khz (Choice)
2. C = 0.1 uF (Choice 100 pF to 0.1 uF)
1.414
3. 𝑅2 = 2𝜋𝑓𝑐𝐶
𝑅2
4. 𝑅1 = 2 = 1.13K = 1.2K
5. 𝑅𝑓 = 𝑅2 = 2.2 𝐾

𝑉𝑜 𝑉𝑜,𝑎
A v,dB = 20 log ( ) = 20 Log ( )
𝑉𝑖 𝑉𝑖,𝑎

Vi = Sinusoidal Waveform, Amplitude = 1 Vpk-pk

Procedure
1. Measure the resistance of the resistors by multimeter and record values.
2. Adjust function generator frequencies as accurately as possible. Set Function generator to
Sine wave
with 1 Vpk-pk amplitude
3. Construct the above circuit. Set biasing voltages to +15V and –15V. (Do not exceed ± 15
volts DC
4. Draw the Gain vs Frequency curve of the high pass filter. Use semi log graph paper with
x –axis denoting
Frequency (log scale) and determine the lower cutoff or corner frequency, what is the value
of the
output voltage at the -3dB point
Draw the Frequency Response Plot for below data (Av – f) curve
S/N f (Hz) Vo,a (V) 𝑉𝑜,𝑎
Av,dB = 20 Log ( )
𝑉𝑖,𝑎

1 100
2 500
3 1K
4 5K
5 10K
6 50K
7 100K
Experiment Title: Study of a 741 Operational Amplifier as Active Low Pass Filter

What is a low pass filter:

As the name implies, a low pass filter is a filter that passes the lower frequencies and rejects those
at higher frequencies. Operational amplifiers or op-amps provide a very effective means of
creating low pass filters without the need for inductors.

By incorporating the filter elements into the feedback loop of an op amp, high performance low
pass filters are easily created with a minimum number of components and without the need for
inductors.

Op amp low pass filters can be used in many areas power supplies to the outputs of digital to
analogue converters to remove alias signals and many more applications.

First Order Low Pass Filter

Active Low Pass Filter with Amplification

Gain of a first-order low pass filter

Where:
• AF = the pass band gain of the filter, (1 + R2/R1)
• ƒ = the frequency of the input signal in Hertz, (Hz)
• ƒc = the cut-off frequency in Hertz, (Hz)

Thus, the operation of a low pass active filter can be verified from the frequency gain equation
above as:
• 1. At very low frequencies, ƒ < ƒc
• 2. At the cut-off frequency, ƒ = ƒc
• 3. At very high frequencies, ƒ > ƒc

Thus, the Active Low Pass Filter has a constant gain AF from 0Hz to the high frequency cut-off
point, ƒC. At ƒC the gain is 0.707AF, and after ƒC it decreases at a constant rate as the frequency
increases. That is, when the frequency is increased tenfold (one decade), the voltage gain is
divided by 10.
In other words, the gain decreases 20dB i.e. 20*log(10) each time the frequency is increased by
10. When dealing with filter circuits the magnitude of the pass band gain of the circuit is
generally expressed in decibels or dB as a function of the voltage gain, and this is defined as:
Magnitude of Voltage Gain in (dB)

Example of Frequency Response Curve

Response curve
The shape of the curve is of importance with features like the cut-off frequency and roll off being
key to the operation. The cut-off frequency is normally taken as the point where the response has
fallen by 3dB as shown.

Another important feature is the final slope of the roll off. This is generally governed by the number
of 'poles' in the filter. Normally there is one pole for each capacitor inductor in a filter. When
plotted on a logarithmic scale the ultimate roll-off becomes a straight line, with the response falling
at the ultimate roll off rate. This is 6dB per pole within the filter.
Single pole active low pass filter circuit

The simplest circuit low pass filter circuit using an operational amplifier simply places a capacitor
across the feedback resistor. This has the effect as the frequency rises of increasing the level of
feedback as the reactive impedance of the capacitor falls.

Non-inverting LP Filter Inverting LP Filter

The break point for this simple type of filter can be calculated very easily by working out the
frequency at which the reactance of the capacitor equals the resistance of the resistor. This can be
achieved using the formula:

1
𝑋𝑐 =
2𝜋𝑓𝐶

Where:
Xc is the capacitive reactance in ohms
π is equal to 3.142
f is the frequency in Hertz
C is the capacitance in Farads
The in-band gain for these circuits is calculated in the normal way ignoring the effect of the
capacitor.

While these operational amplifier circuits are useful to provide a reduction in gain at high
frequencies, they only provide an ultimate rate of roll off of 6 dB per octave, i.e. the output voltage
halves for every doubling in frequency. This type of filter is known as a one pole filter. Often a
much greater rate of rejection is required, and to achieve this it is possible to incorporate a higher
performance filter into the feedback circuitry.

Two pole low pass filter op-amp circuit

Although it is possible to design a wide variety of filters with different levels of gain and different
roll off patterns using operational amplifiers, the filter described on this page will give a good sure-
fire solution. It offers unity gain and a Butterworth response (the flattest response in band, but not
the fastest to achieve ultimate roll off out of band).

The calculations for the circuit values are very straightforward for the Butterworth response and
unity gain scenario. Critical damping is required for the circuit and the ratio of the resistor and
capacitor values determines this
R1 = R2

C1 = 2C2

√2
𝑓 =
4 𝜋 𝑅 𝐶2

When choosing the values, ensure that the resistor values fall in the region between 10 kΩ and 100
kΩ. This is advisable because the output impedance of the circuit rises with increasing frequency
and values outside this region may affect the performance.

Op amp low pass filters are easy to design, especially when a Butterworth filter type is used as
above. More sophisticated designs using different types of filter can also be developed, although
the mathematics does become more complicated and decisions need to be made about the optimum
type of filter to be used. For most applications, the basic Butterworth provides excellent filter
performance.
Second-order Low Pass Active Filter
As with the passive filter, a first-order low-pass active filter can be converted into a second-order
low pass filter simply by using an additional RC network in the input path. The frequency
response of the second-order low pass filter is identical to that of the first-order type except that
the stop band roll-off will be twice the first-order filters at 40dB/decade (12dB/octave).
Therefore, the design steps required of the second-order active low pass filter are the
same.Second-order Active Low Pass Filter Circuit
When cascading together filter circuits to form higher-order filters, the overall gain of the filter is
equal to the product of each stage. For example, the gain of one stage may be 10 and the gain of
the second stage may be 32 and the gain of a third stage may be 100. Then the overall gain will
be 32,000, (10 x 32 x 100) as shown below.
Second-order (two-pole) active filters are important because higher-order filters can be designed
using them. By cascading together first and second-order filters, filters with an order value, either
odd or even up to any value can be constructed. In the next tutorial about filters, we will see that
Active High Pass Filters, can be constructed by reversing the positions of the resistor and capacitor
in the circuit.
ACTIVE OP-AMP LOW PASS FILTER CIRCUIT:
40 dB/Decade Low Pass Butterworth Filter
Equipment
▪ IC: 741 1 Piece
▪ Resistor: 10k 4 Pieces
▪ Resistor: 33k 1 Piece
▪ Capacitor: 0.22uF 2 Pieces
▪ AT-7000 Trainer Board 1 Unit
▪ DC Power Supply 1 Unit
▪ Oscilloscope 1 Unit
▪ Multimeter 1 Unit
▪ Wires

Component Pin-out
 C1

2.2K
0.22uF

Rf
+15V
-
R1 R2 741

+
1.2K 1.2K
0.1uF -15V
+ C2
Vo
10K
AC Vi
RL

1. fc = 1KHz (Choice)
2. C2 = 0.1 uF (Choice 100 pF to 0.1 uF)

3. C1 = 0.2 uF (C1 = 2C2) = 0.22 uF

0.707
4. R = = 1.13 K = 1.2 K (R1 = R2 = R)
2𝜋𝐹𝑐𝐶2

5. Rf = 2.4 K = 2.2 K (Rf = 2R)

𝑽𝒐 𝑽𝒐,𝒂
6. 𝑨𝒗, 𝒅𝑩 = 𝟐𝟎 𝑳𝒐𝒈 ( 𝑽𝒊 ) = 𝟐𝟎 𝑳𝒐𝒈 ( 𝑽𝒊,𝒂 )

Input voltage Vi = Sine wave Amplitude = 1 Volt

Procedure
1. Measure the resistance of the resistors by multimeter and record values.
2. Adjust function generator frequencies as accurately as possible. Set Function generator to
Sine wave with 1 Vpk-pk amplitude
3. Construct the above circuit. Set biasing voltages to +15V and –15V.
4. Draw the Gain vs Frequency curve to the low pass filter. Use semi log graph paper with x
–axis denoting
Frequency (log scale) and determine the upper cutoff frequency, what is the value of the
output voltage at the -3dB point
Draw the Frequency Response Plot for data in table in a semi log (x-axis log) graph paper

S/N f (Hz) Vo,a (V) 𝑉𝑜,𝑎

Av,dB = 20 Log ( 𝑉𝑖,𝑎 )

1 10
2 50
3 100
4 500
5 1K
6 5K
7 10K