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Sallen-Key 4th order Butterworth LPF at 10,000 rad/s

Short answer

Cascade two equal-component Sallen–Key biquads with R=10 kΩ, C=0.01 µF, ω0=10,000 rad/s. Section 1 (Q=0.5412): K=1.1522, RA=10 kΩ, RB=1.522 kΩ. Section 2 (Q=1.3066): K=2.2346, RA=10 kΩ, RB=12.35 kΩ.

Design Sallen key lowpass filter for fourth order Butterworth filter. The final circuit should have ω0 = 10,000 rad/s and practically realizable elements. (Refer table 1 of Butterworth pole locations)

Butterworth n = 4 (pole table): p=−0.3827±j0.9239p = -0.3827 \pm j0.9239 and −0.9239±j0.3827-0.9239 \pm j0.3827, so

TN(s)=1(s2+0.7654s+1)(s2+1.8478s+1),Q1=11.8478=0.5412,Q2=10.7654=1.3066T_N(s) = \frac{1}{(s^2 + 0.7654s + 1)(s^2 + 1.8478s + 1)}, \qquad Q_1 = \frac{1}{1.8478} = 0.5412,\quad Q_2 = \frac{1}{0.7654} = 1.3066

Equal-component Sallen–Key biquad

                 +--------[C]----------+
                 |                     |
 Vi o--[R]-------+--[R]---+----(+)     |
                          |       A ---+---o Vo
                         [C]  +--(-)   |
                          |   |        |
                         GND  +--[RB]--+
                              |
                             [RA]
                              |
                             GND

Equal-component Sallen–Key lowpass (R1=R2=RR_1 = R_2 = R, C1=C2=CC_1 = C_2 = C, amplifier gain K=1+RB/RAK = 1 + R_B/R_A):

T(s)=Kω02s2+ω0Qs+ω02,ω0=1RC,Q=13−K  ⇒  K=3−1QT(s) = \frac{K\omega_0^2}{s^2 + \dfrac{\omega_0}{Q}s + \omega_0^2}, \qquad \omega_0 = \frac{1}{RC}, \qquad Q = \frac{1}{3 - K} \;\Rightarrow\; K = 3 - \frac{1}{Q}

Element values

ω0=10,000 rad/s\omega_0 = 10{,}000\ \text{rad/s}, CC = 0.01 μF (chosen):

R=1ω0C=10 kΩR = \frac{1}{\omega_0 C} = 10\ \text{k}\Omega
SectionQK=3−1/QK = 3 - 1/QRAR_ARB=(K−1)RAR_B = (K-1)R_A
10.54121.152210 kΩ1.522 kΩ
21.30662.234610 kΩ12.35 kΩ

Overall passband gain K1K2K_1K_2 = 2.5748 (8.21 dB).

 Vi -->[SK 1: K=1.1522]-->[SK 2: K=2.2346]--> Vo
       R=10k, C=0.01uF      R=10k, C=0.01uF
       RA=10k, RB=1.522k    RA=10k, RB=12.35k

If unity DC gain is required, the input resistor of each section is split into a divider R1a=KRR_{1a} = KR, R1b=KR/(K−1)R_{1b} = KR/(K-1): section 1: 11.52 kΩ and 75.69 kΩ; section 2: 22.35 kΩ and 18.1 kΩ.

Answer: all R = 10 kΩ and C = 0.01 μF; section 1 (Q = 0.5412): K = 1.1522, RAR_A = 10 kΩ, RBR_B = 1.522 kΩ; section 2 (Q = 1.3066): K = 2.2346, RAR_A = 10 kΩ, RBR_B = 12.35 kΩ; ω0\omega_0 = 10,000 rad/s, passband gain 2.5748 (8.21 dB).

✓ Answer checked by Claude Sonnet 5.5

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