13: HIGH/LOW PASS FILTER

A. Introduction
Filter plays important role in achieving sound quality. Filters can also be used to
synthesize complex sounds. This lab is to do experiments on a low pass and high pass
filter.

B. Low/High Pass Filter

The impedance of a capacitor and an inductor can be used to construct Low and High pass
filter. The impedance of an inductor is proportional to frequency, and the impedance of a
capacitor is inversely proportional to frequency. These characteristics can be used to select or
reject certain frequencies of an input signal. This selection and rejection of frequencies is
called filtering, and a circuit which does this is called a filter. If a filter passes high
frequencies and rejects low frequencies, then it is a high-pass filter. Conversely, if it passes
low frequencies and rejects high ones, it is a low-pass filter.

Filters, like most things, arent perfect. They dont absolutely pass some frequencies and
absolutely reject others. A frequency is considered passed if its magnitude (voltage
amplitude) is within 71% (or 1/2) of the maximum amplitude passed and rejected otherwise.
The 71% frequency is called corner frequency, roll-off frequency or half-power
frequency. The roll off frequency of low pass filter is fH=1/(2RC), and high pass filter
fL=R/(2L).

13: High/Low pass Filters - 1

1. Low pass filter with RC circuit

a.

Set up circuit shown in Fig. 1 with R=3.9 k and C = 0.01F. Switch on the
Power Supply. Select the Function Generator from the Sinusoidal wave as input
voltage to the circuit and keep the input voltage at 1 V peak to peak. Use the
Oscilloscope to measure the voltage across the capacitor.

b.

Calculate the roll-off frequency of your setup, and choose function generator to
cover the entire range of the roll-off frequency.
The calculated roll off frequency: froll-off=

Hz.

c.

Vary the frequency and record the measured voltage in the Table below.

d.

Plot the measured voltage vs frequency. Find the cut-off (roll-off) frequency
of your Low Pass RC filter. (Make sure that the input voltage is maintained at a
peak-to-peak value of 1 V)

frequency (Hz) Input voltage (V)

Output voltage (V)

Vout/Vin

500
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
8,000
10,000
20,000
50,000
100,000

The left photo shows the breadboard configuration of the low pass filter, and right photo
shows signals from the function generator (bottom trace), and that from across the
capacitor (top trace).

13: High/Low pass Filters - 2

2. High pass filter characteristics

a.

Set up the circuit of Fig.2 with R=1 k, and L = 20 mH. Switch on the sinusoidal wave
from the Power Supply of breadboard and keep the input voltage at 1 V peak to peak.
Measure the voltage across the inductor by using the Oscilloscope. Use the
Oscilloscope function to measure the voltage across the inductor.

b.

Calculate the roll-off frequency of your setup, and choose function generator to
cover the entire range of the roll-off frequency.
The calculated roll off frequency: froll-off=

Hz.

c.

Vary the frequency and record the measured voltage in the Table below.

d.

Plot the measured Vout/Vin vs frequency. Find the cut-off (roll-off) frequency of
your High Pass RL filter. (Make sure that input voltage is 1V peak to peak).
frequency (Hz) Input voltage (V)

Output voltage (V)

Vout/Vin

500
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
8,000
10,000
20,000
50,000
100,000

The left photo shows the breadboard configuration of the high pass filter, and right photo
shows signals from the function generator (bottom trace), and that from across the
inductor (top trace).
13: High/Low pass Filters - 3

100

1,000

13: High/Low pass Filters - 4

10,000

100,000