Coupling and Filter Circuits

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Filter a device that removes or filters or attenuates unwanted
signals, and keeps (and sometimes magnifies) the desired
frequencies
Attenuation opposite of gain and magnification. To shrink or remove.
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In order to know how something is magnified or
attenuated, we need to understand the decibel.
I need a volunteer from the audience!
On the white board, please graph the point:
(10, 1) (10, 10) (10, ?)
In order to shrink down the scale of the graph to fit all the
points on one graph, we can use the log scale
1 10 100 1k 10k 100k
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
1 octave
(double the frequency)
1 decade
(Ten times the frequency)
1 10 100 1k 10k 100k
Using your calculators, what is log(10)?
log(100)?
log(1000)?
log(10,000)?
log(100,000)?
1 2 3 4 5
This is how it is possible to shrink very
large numbers down to fit on one scale
Calculate the following in your head:
Log(1M)
Log(1G)
Log(1)
Log(.1)
Log(.001)
Log(1n)
6
9
0
-1
-3
-9
It turns out that the exponents for our
prefixes is the log of that number.
Log of a number represents how many
zeros are in that number. So Log 1 million
is 6 because there are 6 zeros in 1 million
Calculate the following using your calculator:
Log(200)
Log(8742)
Log(17782)
Log(500,000)
2.3
3.94
4.25
5.7
If Log(100) = 2 and Log(1000) = 3, what is Log(550)?
(since 550 is half way between the two)
Log(550) = 2.74 [The log scale is not linear]
What number would result in a log of 2.5?
This is called the antilog.
The opposite of the log function is the antilog.
The opposite log(x) is 10
x
.
ie: Solve for V 2.5 = log(v)
10
2.5
= 10
log(v)
10
2.5
= v
316 = v
Using your calculator:
The log of what number gives 4?
The log of what number gives 5?
The log of what number gives 4.5?
The log of what number gives 2.1?
The log of what number gives 0?
The log of what number gives -3?
The log of what number gives -1.5?
10,000
100,000
10
4.5
= 31,623
10
2.1
= 125.9
10
0
= 1
10
-3
= .001
10
-1.5
= .0316
Log(1M)
Log(1G)
Log(1)
Log(.1)
Log(.001)
Log(1n)
6
9
0
-1
-3
-9
The units of the log function are sometimes
referred to as Bels
60 dB
90 dB
0 dB
-10 dB
-30 dB
-90 dB
However, in electronics the unit of gain is
the deciBel (decibel) [dB].

We can convert Bels to decibels by
multiplying by 10.
What is bigger, a Bel or a deciBel?
deci stands for 1 tenth of a Bel

This is similar to how milli stands for 1
thousandth
= 10
= 10

Log(1M)
Log(1G)
Log(1)
Log(.1)
Log(.001)
Log(1n)
6
9
0
-1
-3
-9
60 dB
90 dB
0 dB
-10 dB
-30 dB
-90 dB
If there is a gain or magnification in a
circuit, the dB is positive

If there is neither gain nor loss, this is
called Unity gain and the dB is 0.
If there is a loss or attenuation in a
circuit, the dB is negative
What is the decibel level of my clap?
This question only makes sense if we are comparing it to
something else.
The thing we are comparing sound to is the smallest
audible sound possible: 1pW/m
2
If the sound of my clap was 1mW/m
2
then what level dB
are you hearing when I clap?

= 10

= 10
.001
.000000000001

=10 1,000,000,000 =109 = 90dB
The dB level for sound is always compared to or in
reference to 1pW

Perceptions of Increases in Decibel Level
Imperceptible Change 1dB
Barely Perceptible Change 3dB
Clearly Noticeable Change 5dB
About Twice as Loud 10dB
About Four Times as Loud 20dB
30 db change 8 times louder This is 1000 times more than 1 but sounds 8x louder (see red bottom pg 297)
40 db change 16 times louder
50 db change 32 times louder (this is the whale vs. the jet engine)
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120 -
What do you think is louder, a blue whales mating call or
the sound of a 747 jet at max power cruising speed?
747 jet is 140dB (100W)
Blue Whale is 188dB (6.3MW)
The human ear detects every 10dB gain to sound twice as loud.
Since the blue whale is about 50dB louder than the jet
engine, it sounds 2x2x2x2x2 = 32 times louder.
The loudest possible sound that can be made is 194dB within
the atmosphere of earth. (This is due to atmospheric pressures)
Suppose in the circuit below 1 Watt of power was put in
and 10 Watts of power came out.
Electronic Circuit
1 W
100 W
How much magnification was there?
What is the decibel gain of the circuit?
100
dB = 10log(100)
= 20dB
= 10

= 10
100
1
=102 = 20dB
Suppose in the circuit below 1mW of power was put in and
1kW of power came out.
Electronic Circuit
1mW
1kW
How much magnification was there?
What is the decibel gain of the circuit?
1,000,000
dB =
10log(1,000,000)
= 60dB
= 10

= 10
1,000
.001
= 60dB
Suppose in the circuit below 5W of power was put in and
50mW of power came out.
Electronic Circuit
5W
50mW
What is the decibel gain of the circuit? dB = 10log(.01) =
-20dB
= 10

= 10
.05
5
= -20dB
Suppose in the circuit below 17W of power was put in and
17W of power came out.
Electronic Circuit
17W
17W
How much magnification was there?
What is the decibel gain of the circuit?
x1 (unity gain)
dB = 10log(1) =
0dB
= 10

= 10
17
17
= 0dB
2mW input 4W output
33dB
14W input .03W output
-26.7dB
50W input 25W output
-3dB
This last example is very important!!

Half power occurs at -3dB. This level of gain is used
everywhere.
The threshold of pain is for the human ear is 1W/m
2
. What
level dB is this?
= 10

= 10
1
.000000000001

=10 1,000,000,000,000 =10 12 = 120dB
1pW is the reference for sound power when calculating dB
Another reference in electronics is the dBm which
represents the power level relative to 1mW. (If you notice
on the VOM, the was a dB scale which was referencing this
dBm level. You will you this in the communications class
What is the dB gain in the first stage of the following circuit:
Electronic
Circuit
5W
500W
Electronic
Circuit
5000W
Electronic
Circuit
2500W
20dB 10dB -3dB
What is the dB gain in the second stage:
What is the dB gain in the third stage:
What is the overall gain from the first input, to the last output:
10
2500
5
= 27dB
Notice, this overall gain is the same gain as just adding up all the
individual dB gains along the way.
+ + = 27dB
Each individual stage gas a dB gain of 3
So far we have talked about the gain equation when using
power. It turns out if voltage is the unit being measured
for gain the equation is slightly different:
This should make sense because (for you math people):
= 10

= 10

2
= 10

2

= 10

2
= 20

Random Video of the Day 1
Random Video of the Day 2
Coupling - the association of two circuits or systems in
such a way that power may be transferred from one to the
other; a linkage of circuits

As frequency changes on resistive circuit, nothing happens to output
What happens to the output as frequency goes up in the other 2 circuits
Note to instructor:
INTRODUCE THIS SECTION DRAW 5 RC LOW PASS FILTERS ON THE BOARD WHERE
THE ONLY THING CHANGING IS THE FREQUENCY. FIND Vc FOR EACH CIRCUIT
AND AFTERWARDS GRAPH VOLTAGE VS. FREQUENCY.

Vs = 1000V, R = 15915Ohm, C = 10nF F=10Hz, 100Hz, 1kHz 10kHz, 100kHz
Filters are used to pass or block a specific range of
frequencies. (Voltage or current doesnt get through at those
specific frequencies)

There are 4 main types of filters:
- High Pass Filter (HPF)
- Low Pass Filter (LPF)
- Band Pass Filter (BPF)
- Band Stop Filter (BSF)

HPF
LPF
BPF
BSF
R1
C1
HPF
What type of circuit is the following?
C
R
LPF
R1
C1
HPF
C2
R2
R1
C1
BPF
L
R
HPF
C
R
LPF
L
C
BPF
R
BSF or Notch or Band Reject Filter
R1
C1
HPF
R
L
LPF
L
R
HPF
C
R
LPF
R1
C1
HPF
R
L
LPF
L
R
HPF
C
R
LPF
R
L
LPF
L
R
HPF
C
R
LPF
R1
C1
HPF
R
L
LPF
L
R
HPF
C
R
LPF
R1
C1
HPF
C2
R2
R1
C1
BPF
HPF
LPF
BPF
BSF
Output is
equal to
input at
passband
and near 0
at stop
band
Stopband Passband
Passband Stopband
HPF
So where is the pass band
and where is the stop band?
(In other words where is the
cutoff?)
-3dB
The cut off frequency is at 3dB
f
o
f
o
Recall that the -3dB point is the point where the output gets half of the input power.
For the circuit below, when R and X
C
are the same size, the power across R is half
the input power. Thus the cutoff frequency is as follows:

=
1
2

=
1
2

=
1
2

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This is also known as a BODE plot
Determine the cutoff frequency
for the HPF on the right:
Determine the cutoff frequency for the
LPF on the right:
Draw on board what this means graphically
Not only is there an attenuation curve but there is a phase
shift curve at the output at varying frequencies.

[Show Multisim example of how varying the frequency
varies the phase angle of the circuit (V
R
angle)]
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See C1 of sheet 3
What is the cutoff frequency in the following circuit?
Show what the signal looks like before and after the filter.
What would happen if I put another 1uF Capacitor in parallel?