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Information from reflection coefficient; 3rd order HPF

Short answer

The reflection coefficient ρ(s) indicates the fraction of available power reflected back from the filter input and provides the input impedance Z₁=R₁(1+ρ)/(1−ρ) for ladder synthesis. Together with |ρ|²+|t|²=1 it determines passband loss. For a third-order Butterworth HPF (R₁=R₂=1 Ω, ωc=1 rad/s): series C₁=1 F, shunt L₂=0.5 H, series C₃=1 F. Scale L,C by 1/ωc for desired cutoff.

What information can be obtained from the reflection coefficient in the context of filter design? Design a third order Butterworth high pass filter using resistively terminated lossless ladder with equal termination of 1Ω for both source and load. [Refer Table 1]

Information from reflection coefficient

ρ(s)=R1−Z1R1+Z1\rho(s) = \dfrac{R_1 - Z_1}{R_1 + Z_1} tells how well the filter input is matched to the source:

  • ∣ρ(jω)∣2|\rho(j\omega)|^2 = fraction of the available power reflected back; ρ=0\rho = 0 means maximum power delivered (passband), ∣ρ∣→1|\rho| \to 1 means total reflection (stopband).
  • With ∣ρ∣2+∣t∣2=1|\rho|^2 + |t|^2 = 1 it gives the passband loss and the magnitude response.
  • It gives the input impedance Z1=R1(1+ρ)/(1−ρ)Z_1 = R_1(1+\rho)/(1-\rho) that is expanded into the ladder, so it is the starting point of the synthesis.

Design of 3rd order Butterworth HPF (R1=R2=1 ΩR_1 = R_2 = 1\ \Omega)

Step 1: Low-pass prototype. Design the normalized 3rd order Butterworth LPF first. From Table 1, B(s)=s3+2s2+2s+1B(s) = s^3+2s^2+2s+1, so with R1=R2=1R_1 = R_2 = 1:

t(s)=1B(s),∣ρ∣2=1−∣t∣2=ω61+ω6,ρ(s)=s3s3+2s2+2s+1t(s) = \frac{1}{B(s)}, \quad |\rho|^2 = 1-|t|^2 = \frac{\omega^6}{1+\omega^6}, \quad \rho(s) = \frac{s^3}{s^3+2s^2+2s+1} Z1=1+ρ1−ρ=2s3+2s2+2s+12s2+2s+1=s+12s+1s+1Z_1 = \frac{1+\rho}{1-\rho} = \frac{2s^3+2s^2+2s+1}{2s^2+2s+1} = s + \cfrac{1}{2s + \cfrac{1}{s+1}}

Prototype: series L1=1L_1 = 1 H, shunt C2=2C_2 = 2 F, series L3=1L_3 = 1 H, R2=1 ΩR_2 = 1\ \Omega.

Step 2: LP to HP transformation. Replace ss by 1/s1/s (ωc=1\omega_c = 1 rad/s):

  • A series inductor LL (impedance sLsL) becomes L/sL/s: a series capacitor C=1/LC = 1/L.
  • A shunt capacitor CC (admittance sCsC) becomes C/sC/s: a shunt inductor L=1/CL = 1/C.
  • Resistors are unchanged.
LP elementHP element
L1=1L_1 = 1 H (series)C1=1/1=1C_1 = 1/1 = 1 F (series)
C2=2C_2 = 2 F (shunt)L2=1/2=0.5L_2 = 1/2 = 0.5 H (shunt)
L3=1L_3 = 1 H (series)C3=1/1=1C_3 = 1/1 = 1 F (series)

Step 3: Circuit.

  R1=1    C1=1 F        C3=1 F
 o-/\/\----||----+----||----+
 |               |          |
(~) V1        L2=0.5 H    R2=1
 |               |          |
 o---------------+----------+

The response is V2/V1=0.5 s3s3+2s2+2s+1V_2/V_1 = \dfrac{0.5\,s^3}{s^3+2s^2+2s+1}: zero gain at dc, −3-3 dB at 1 rad/s, and gain 0.5 (the maximum for equal terminations) at high frequency.

Answer (normalized, ωc=1\omega_c = 1 rad/s): R1=1 ΩR_1 = 1\ \Omega, series C1=1C_1 = 1 F, shunt L2=0.5L_2 = 0.5 H, series C3=1C_3 = 1 F, R2=1 ΩR_2 = 1\ \Omega. For a cutoff ωc\omega_c, divide each LL and CC by ωc\omega_c (and scale impedance if needed).

✓ Answer checked by Claude Sonnet 5.5

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