Chapter 7 [EE203]

Frequency response
[Dr.F.MOUHOUCHE]
UMBB/IGEE/2020-2021

1 Introduction
• Frequency response of a circuit provide a measure of how the circuit responds to
sinusoidal inputs of arbitrary frequency.
• The transfer function, H(ω) is a useful analytical tool for finding the frequency
response of a circuit.
The transfer function H(ω) of a circuit is the frequency dependent ratio of a phasor
output ,Y (ω) (an element voltage or current) to a phasor input X(ω) (source voltage
or current).

Figure 1

Y (ω)
H(ω) =
X(ω)
• There are four possible input/output combinations:

Vo (ω)
H(ω) = Voltage gain =
Vi (ω)
Io (ω)
H(ω) = Current gain =
Ii (ω)
Vo (ω)
H(ω) = Transfer impedance =
Ii (ω)
Io (ω)
H(ω) = Transfer admittance =
Vi (ω)

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Chapter7:Frequency response IGEE/L03/2021/EE203

• Since H(ω) is a complex quantity,thus:

H(ω) has a magnitude |H(ω)| and a phase φ so:

H(ω) = |H(ω)|∠φ

• The transfer function of a circuit can be obtained by first converting it to frequency-

domain equivalent by replacing resistors, inductors, and capacitors with their
1
impedances R, jωL,
jωC
• The transfer function H(ω) can be expressed in terms of its numerator polynomial
N (ω) and denominator polynomial D(ω) as
N (ω)
H(ω) =
D(ω)
• The Numerator and Denominator can be existed as a polynomial.
• The roots of numerator also known as ZEROS. Zeros exist when N (ω) = 0
• The roots of denominator also known as POLES. Poles exist when D(ω) = 0

Example : Find the transfer function Vo /Vi of the circuit shown in Figure

Solution :

• voltage divider rule

Vs × (1/(jωC)) Vo (1/(jωC)) 1
Vo = ⇒ = = = H(ω)
R + (1/(jωC)) Vs R + (1/(jωC)) 1 + jωRC
• the magnitude and phase of H(ω) as
1 1 1
|H(ω)| = p =r where ω0 =
(1 + (ωRC)2 ) ω RC
1 + ( )2
ω0
ω
φ = −tan−1
ω0

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Chapter7:Frequency response IGEE/L03/2021/EE203

Example : Find the transfer function Vo (ω)/Ii (ω) of the circuit shown in Figure
below

Solution :

Z1 Z2 1
• Vo (ω) = Ii (ω) where Z1 = 5 + and Z2 = 3 + jωL
Z1 + Z2 jωC
1 10
(5 + )(3 + 2jω) (5 + )(3 + 2jω)
jω0.1 jω
Vo (ω) = Ii (ω) = Ii (ω)
1 10
(5 + ) + (3 + 2jω) (5 + ) + (3 + 2jω)
jω0.1 jω
(5jω + 10)(3 + 2jω)
= Ii (ω)
2(jω)2 + 8(jω) + 10
• transfer function

Vo (ω) 5(jω + 2)(jω + 1.5)

=
Ii (ω) 2(jω)2 + 8(jω) + 5

• Zeros:-2, -1.5 Poles: −2 ± j

2 The Decibel Scale

Figure 4

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Chapter7:Frequency response IGEE/L03/2021/EE203

V12
P1 = input power = = I12 Rin
Rin
V22
P2 = onput power = = I22 RL
RL
V22
P2 R
Power gain = = L2
P1 V1
Rin
The decibel is a logarithmic unit (to the base 10) of power ratio (1/10 of a bel).

P2 P2
1bel = log10 when = 10
P1 P1
Or more commonly decibels(dB) (1/10 of a bel) is used:

P2
1bel = 10 log10
P1
Note that the voltage gain is often given the symbol A; the gain in dB, the symbol G.
 2
P2 V2 Rin
Gain in dB = G = 10 log = 10 log
P1 V1 RL
If RL = Rin , then

V2 I2
G = 20 log or 20 log
V1 I1
Note that

log 22 = 2 log 2
log P1 P2 = log P1 + log P2
P1
log = log P1 − log P2
P2
log 1 = 0
• That 10 log10 is used for power, while 20 log10 is used for voltage or current, because
of the square relationship between them .
• The dB value is a logarithmic measurement of the ratio of one variable to another
of the same type.
• Therefore, it can only be applied when the transfer function H is expressed as ratio
of same quantities.

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Chapter7:Frequency response IGEE/L03/2021/EE203

3 Bode Plots
• One problem with the transfer function is that it needs to cover a large range in
frequency.
• Plotting the frequency response on a semilog plot (where the x axis is plotted in
log form) makes the task easier.
• These plots are referred to as Bode plots.
• Bode plots are based on logarithmic scales.
• Bode plots either show magnitude (in decibels, dB) or phase (in degrees, φ) as a
function of frequency.
• In a Bode magnitude plot, the gain(H(ω)) is plotted in decibels(dB) as a function
of frequency.
HdB = 20 log H.
• In a Bode phase plot, φ is plotted in degree as a function of frequency.
• The transfer function may be written in terms of factors with real and imaginary
parts.

jω ω jω
K(jω)±1 (1 + )[1 + 2jζ1 + ( )2 ]...
Z1 ωk ωk
H(ω) =
jω ω jω
(1 + )[1 + 2jζ2 + ( )2 ]....
P1 ωn ωn

• H(ω) has seven different factors that can appear in various combinations in a
transfer function. These are:
1. A gain K:
2. A pole (jω)−1 or zero (jω) at the origin.
jω jω
3. A simple pole (1 + ) or zero (1 + )
P1 Z1
ω jω ω jω
4. A quadratic pole [1 + 2jζ2 + ( )2 ] or zero [1 + 2jζ1 + ( )2 ]
ωn ωn ωk ωk
• In constructing a Bode plot, we plot each of these factor separately and then add
them graphically .
• Mathematical convenience of logarithm makes Bode plots a powerful tool.

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Chapter7:Frequency response IGEE/L03/2021/EE203

Constant term
• For K, the magnitude is

HdB (ω) = 20 log |K|

• Phase angle for constant is: φ = 0.

• For negative K, the magnitude remains 20 log |K| but the phase angle is ±180◦

Figure 5: Bode plots for gain K

Pole/Zero at the origin

• For zero (jω) at the origin, the magnitude is 20 log |0 + jω| = 20 log ω(Slope is
20dB/decade)
−1 ω
 
◦
• The phase is 90 from φ = tan = tan−1 (∞) = 90◦
0
• The bode plots for the pole(jω)− 1 are similar except that the slope of the magni-
tude plot is -20dB/decade while the phase is −90◦

Figure 6

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Chapter7:Frequency response IGEE/L03/2021/EE203

In general,for (jω)N where N is an integer, the magnitude plot will have a slope
of 20N dB/decade, while the phase is 90N degrees .

Simple pole/zero
jω
(1 + )
Z1
• It shows that we can approximate the magnitude as zero (a straight line with zero
slope) for small values of ω and by a straight line with slope 20dB/decade for large
values of ω
• The frequency ω = Z1 where the two asymptotic lines meet is called the corner
frequency or break frequency

jω 0 asω −→ 0
HdB = 20 log10 |1 + | ⇒= ω
Z1 20 log10 ω −→ ∞
Z1

  
ω 0 ω=0
φ = tan−1 = 45◦ ω = Z1
Z1 
 ◦
90 ω −→ ∞
Approximately  z1
φ = 0 ω6

10


φ = 45◦ ω = z1
φ = 90◦

ω > 10z1

• the approximate plot is close to the actual plot except√at the break frequency (
ω = Z1 ),where the deviation is 20 log |1 + 1j| = 20 log | 2| ≈ 3dB

Figure 7

• The straight line plot has a slope of 45◦ per decade.

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Chapter7:Frequency response IGEE/L03/2021/EE203

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• The Bode plots for the pole are similar except that the corner frequency is
jω
1+
P1
at ω = P1 ,the magnitude has a slope of -20 dB/decade and the phase has a slope
of −45◦ per decade.

4 Quadratic pole/zero
1 ω jω
⇒ HdB = −20 log |1 + 2jζ1 + ( )2 | ⇒ 0 as ω −→ 0
ω jω ωk ωk
[1 + 2jζ2 + ( )2 ]
ωn ωn
ω jω ω
⇒ −20 log |1 + 2jζ1 + ( )2 | ⇒ −40 log as ω −→ ∞
ωk ωk ωn

• Clearly, the amplitude plot consists of two straight asymptotic lines: one with zero
slope for ω < ωn and the other with slope −40dB /decade for ω > ωn with ωn as
the corner frequency.
• The phase can be expressed as:

0
 ω=0
−1 2ζ2 ω/ωn
φ = −tan = −90◦ ω = ωn
1 − ω 2 /ωn2 
−180◦ ω −→ ∞


ωn
• This will be a straight line with slope of −90◦ /decade starting at and ending at
10
10ωn .
For the quadratic zero, the plots are inverted.
• Magnitude plot has a [slope of +40 dB/decade]
• Phase plot has a [slope of +90◦ per decade]

Figure 8

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Chapter7:Frequency response IGEE/L03/2021/EE203

remarks

To sketch the Bode plots for a function of H(ω)

1. Not every transfer function has all seven factors.

2. To sketch the Bode plots for a generic function H(ω), we first record the corner
frequencies(Frequencies where the two lines meet) on the semilog graph paper,
and sketch the factors one at a time as discussed.
3. Then combine additively the graphs of the factors.
4. The combined graph is usually drawn from left to right, changing the slopes
appropriately each time a corner frequency is encountered.

jω + 10
Example : H(ω) =
jω(jω + 5)2
Solution :

• Express transfer function in Standard form

0.4(1 + jω/10)
H(ω) =
jω(jω/5 + 1)2
• Express the magnitude and phase responses
jω jω
HdB = 20 log 0.4 + 20 log |1 + | − 20 log |jω| − 20 log |1 + |
10 5
◦ −1 ω −1 ω
φ = 0 + tan − 2tan
5 5
• Two corner frequencies at ω=5, 10 and a zero at ω=10.
• The pole at ω=5 is a double pole. The slope of the magnitude is -40
dB/decade and phase has slope -90 degree/decade.
• Sketch each term and add to find the total response.

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