Design, Simulate and approximate Parallel

Coupled Microstrip BandPass Filter at 2.4 GHz

Abdulmajid E. Ferh, hitham Jleed
Electrical and computer department, Engineering
Faculty. Almergib University
Alkams, Libya
[email protected], [email protected]

Abstract— This paper describes How to design, optimize and II. IMMITTANCE INVERTERS
approximate a parallel-coupled microstrip bandpass filter for
Wireless communication system. The filter is designed and simulate There are two types of immittance inverters, impedance
at an operating frequency of 2.4 GHz. The length of resonator is inverters (K) and admittance inverters (J), which plays a very
( l = λ / 2 ) and (J) immittance inverters are used to convert a series important role in filter design. They are used to transform a
inductance into an equivalent circuit with shunt capacitance are used filter circuit into an equivalent form that can be easily
to design this filter. The filter is simulated using ADS2005A implemented using various microwave structures. Series
(Advanced Design System) design software and implemented on inductance between two impedance inverters (K), in exterior
substrate material FR4 that has a relative dielectric ( ε r = 4.4 ). terminals looks like shunt capacitance. Shunt capacitance
between admittance inverters (J), in exterior terminals look
Keywords: BandPass Filter, Coupled Parallel Lines, J- like series inductance. Immittance inverters are shown in
Inverters, Chebyshev response, method of moments. figure (2) [6], [7].
I. INTRODUCTION
Parallel coupled line filter was proposed by COHN in 1952
[4]. This filter is designed using Chebyshev lowpass prototype
technique [5]. General layout of parallel coupled microstrip
bandpass filter is shown in the figure (1). Even and Odd mode
characteristic impedance are computed using admittance (a)
inverters, after that, Even and Odd mode impedances are used
to determine physical dimensions by using LinCalc
(ADS2005A Tools) [3]. The center frequency at ( f 0 = 2.4
GHz), the order of this filter at (n = 5), fractional bandwidth
(FBW = 10%), attenuation ripple ( LAr = 0.1 dB), substrate
thickness (h =1.58 mm), ε r = 4.4 , copper thickness ( t =0.035
mm) and PCB material substrate FR4. For N parallel coupled Fig. (2) (a) impedance inverters (K), (b) admittance inverters (J)
resonators, it’s essentially the same as that of a coupled line
By using these properties of immittance inverters, bandpass
filter using N+1, This filter is odd order means six resonators
filters maybe realized by series L.C. resonant circuits
that is make the upper side of the filter is the same the lower
separated by impedance inverters (K) or shunt L.C. parallel
side which makes them symmetry.
resonant circuits separated by admittance inverters (J). To
design a bandpass filter, first of all a lowpass prototype circuit
is modified to include immittance inverters. These lowpass
structures are then converted to bandpass circuits by applying
conventional lowpass to bandpass transformation [3].

III. FILTER DESIGN

The first step to design Chebyshev bandpass filter starts with
computing the lowpass prototype values ( g1 , g 2 , g 3 ,....g n+1 ),

Fig. (1) Structure of parallel coupled bandpass filter

When L AS ≥40 dB, and passband ripple ( LAr ) = 0.1 dB for
chebyshev response and return losses ( LR ) will be -16.42 dB
from (2), the n order can be determined from (1) n ≥ 5.45 , i.e., n

978-1-4799-3351-8/14/$31.00 ©2014 IEEE

= 6 [3]. The element values for chebyshev lowpass prototype TABLE II. PHYSICAL DIAMENSSION OF COUPLED RESONATOR
FROM LINCALC
filters:
g0and 6 = 1 , g1and 5 = 1.1468 , g 2and 4 = 1.3712 , g 3 = 1.9750 PARALLEL WIDTH SAPCE LENGTH
COUPLED
10 0.1LAS −1 LINE (mm) (mm) (mm)
cosh −1
n≥ 10 0.1LAr −1
cosh −1 Ω s (1) 1 AND 6 2.155830 0.364836 17.684600
LAr = −10 log 1 − 10 ( 0.1LR
)dB (2)
2 AND 5 2.85241 1.684120 17.176100
1 π FBW
J n ,n +1 = J 01 =
Z0 2 g 0 g1 3 AND 4 2.898850 2.21558 17.1311
(3)
πFBW 1 where i=1 to n-1 (4)
J i ,i +1 = The next step is to put all dimensions from table II to the
2Z 0 g1 g i +1
ADS2005A simulator as illustrated in figure (3) , after that run
[
( Z 0 e ) i ,i +1 = Z 0 1 + Z 0 J i ,i +1 + (Z 0 J i ,i +1 )
2
] (5)
simulator to get the transmission and reflection response as
shown in the figure (4), it’s clear the frequency is not at 2.4

= Z [1 − Z J )]
GHz, means that need optimize or tuning operation.
+ (Z 0 J i ,i +1
2
( Z 0 o ) i ,i +1 0 0 i ,i +1
(6)
The J-inverters can be computed from (3), (4), even and odd S-Parameter Simulation Disp Display Template
Term S-PARAMETERS Temp
disptemp1
Term1
mode characteristic impedances of coupled microstrip lines Num=1
Z=50 Ohm
Linear Frequency Sw eep S_Param
SP1
"S_Params_Quad_dB_Smith"

Start=2 GHz

are determined from (5), (6). All reading of j-inverters and Port
Stop=3 GHz
Step=0.5 MHz
P1
even and odd characteristic impedances will registered in table Num=1 MCFIL
CLin1
Subst="MSub1" MCFIL
1. W=2.155830 mm
S=0.364836 mm
CLin2
Subst="MSub1"
L=17.684600 mm MCFIL
W=2.85241 mm CLin3
S=1.684120 mm Subst="MSub1" MCFIL
MSub L=17.176100 mm
W=2.898850 mm CLin4
TABLE I. ADMITTACE INVERTERS AND ODD, EVEN MSUB S=2.21558 mm
Subst="MSub1"
L=17.1311 mm W=2.898850 mmMCFIL
MSub1
CHARACTERSTIC IMPEDANCE H=1.58 mm CLin5
S=2.21558 mm Subst="MSub1" Port
Term
Er=4.4 L=17.1311 mm W=2.85241 mm MCFIL Term2
Mur=1 CLin6 P2 Num=2
Cond=4.1e+7 S=1.684120 mm Subst="MSub1" Num=2 Z=50 Ohm
L=17.1761 mm
Hu=20000000 mm W=2.155830 mm
J-INVERTERS J j , j +1 Z 0e Z 0o T=0.035 mm
TanD=0.002
S=.364836 mm
L=17.6846 mm
Rough=0 mm

Fig. (3) Simulation of parallel coupled bandpass before optimization

0,1 0.3701 75.3534 38.3437

1,2 0.1253 57.0477 44.5214

2,3 0.0955 55.2282 45.6829

3,4 0.0955 55.2282 45.6829

4,5 0.1253 57.0477 44.5214

5,6 0.3701 75.3534 38.3437

By using ADS2005A software calculator (LinCalc), the length

of coupled line is quarter wavelength long. The physical
dimensions of coupled resonators can be estimated from odd
and even characteristic impedance that shown in Table I and Fig. (4) S12 and S11 response before optimization
Table II.
 S-Parameter Simulation
m3
Linear Frequency Sweep freq=2.400GHz
S-PARAMETERS Var VAR
VAR
Var
Eqn
Eqn
VAR3 S(1,1)=0.016 / 169.624
S_Param
SP1 Term VAR
VAR2 W3=2.9883 mm {o}
S3=1.89925 mm {o}
impedance = Z0 * (0.968 + j0.006)
Var
Eqn W2=2.52039 mm {o}
Start=2 GHz Term1 VAR1 L3=16.464 mm {o}
S2=1.52682 mm {o}
Stop=3 GHz Num=1 W1=1.95191 mm {o} L2=16.5858 mm {o}
Step= Z=50 Ohm S1=0.303 mm {o} Disp DisplayTemplate
L1=16.8752 mm {o} Temp
disptemp1
MSub "S_Params_Quad_dB_Smith"

MSUB
MSub1
H=1.58 mm MCFIL
Er=4.4 CLin1
Mur=1 Subst="MSub1" MCFIL
Cond=4.1e+7 W=W1
Hu=3.9e+034 mm S=S1
CLin2
m3

S(1,1)
T=0.035 mm Subst="MSub1"
L=L1 MCFIL
TanD=0.002 W=W2 CLin3
Rough=0 mm S=S2 Subst="MSub1"MCFIL
L=L2 W=W3 CLin4
S=S3 Subst="MSub1"
OPTIM L=L3 MCFIL
W=W3
CLin5 Term
S=S3 Subst="MSub1" MCFIL
Optim L=L3 Term2
Optim1 W=W2 CLin6 Num=2
OptimType=Random UseAllOptVars=yes S=S2 Subst="MSub1" Z=50 Ohm
ErrorForm=L2 UseAllGoals=yes L=L2 W=W1
MaxIters=100 SaveCurrentEF=no S=S1
DesiredError=0.0 L=L1
StatusLevel=4
FinalAnalysis="None" GOAL GOAL GOAL
NormalizeGoals=no
SetBestValues=yes Goal Goal freq (2.000GHz to 3.000GHz)
Goal
Seed= OptimGoal3 OptimGoal2 OptimGoal1
SaveSolns=no Expr="db(S(2,2))" Expr="db(S(2,1))" Expr="db(S(1,1))"
SaveGoals=yes SimInstanceName="SP1" SimInstanceName="SP1" SimInstanceName="SP1"
SaveOptimVars=no Min= Min=-0.1 dB Min=
UpdateDataset=yes Max=-16.42 dB Max= Max=-16.42 dB
SaveNominal=yes Weight=1 Weight=1 Weight=1
SaveAllIterations=no RangeVar[1]="freq" RangeVar[1]="freq"
RangeMin[1]=2.28 GHz
RangeMax[1]=2.52 GHz
RangeMin[1]=2.28 GHz
RangeMax[1]=2.52 GHz
RangeVar[1]="freq"
RangeMin[1]=2.28 GHz
RangeMax[1]=2.52 GHz
Fig. (8) smith chart for input reflection coefficient

In the ADS2005A optimization, it is used three goals that to

Fig. (5) Simulation of parallel coupled bandpass after optimization distinguish the required insertion losses and return losses and
also center of frequency. Three variables (VAR) are used to
put W1, S1, and L1 for variable one, as a filter is 5th order means
upper side like lower side (W1 = W6) and so on. In the figure
(6), (7), (8) a good frequency is obtained (2.4 GHz) and
0
-1
m1 insertion losses about 1 dB , attenuation ripple about 0.1dB
m2 m3
-3 m1
freq=2.400GHz
also, return losses 16.42 dB, from smith chart the input
impedance also is around 50 Ω.
-5
-7 dB(S(2,1))=-0.941
-9 m2
-11 freq=2.248GHz
-13
-15
m4 dB(S(2,1))=-3.883 TABLE III. OPTIMIZATED DIAMENSSION OF PARALLEL
-17 m3 COUPLED RESONATOR
-19 freq=2.549GHz
dB(S(2,1))
dB(S(1,1))

-21 dB(S(2,1))=-3.970
-23
m4
-25
-27
freq=2.288GHz PARALLEL WIDTH SAPCE LENGTH
-29 dB(S(1,1))=-16.567 COUPLED
-31
-33 LINE (mm) (mm) (mm)
-35
-37
-39
-41
-43 1 AND 6 1.95191 0.303 16.8752
-45
2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0

freq, GHz
2 AND 5 2.52039 1.52682 16.5858

Fig. (6) S12 and S11 response after optimization

3 AND 4 2.9883 1.89925 16.464

-0.7 TABLE IV. APPROXIMATION DIAMENSSION OF PARALLEL

m1
freq=2.400GHz
COUPLED RESONATOR
dB(S(2,1))=-0.941
-0.8 m2
freq=2.345GHz
dB(S(2,1))=-1.038 PARALLEL WIDTH SAPCE LENGTH
-0.9
m1 COUPLED
(mm) (mm) (mm)
dB(S(2,1))
dB(S(1,1))

LINE
-1.0
m2

-1.1
1 AND 6 2 0.3 16.8

-1.2
2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0
2 AND 5 2.5 1.5 16.6
freq, GHz

3 AND 4 3 1.9 16.5

Fig. (7) insertion ripple after optimization
 TABLE V. COMPARATIVE BETWEEN BEFORE, AFTER
OPTIMIZING FILTER AND APPROXIMATION FILTER

COMPARATIVE BEFORE AFTER APPROXIMATE

optimize optimize filter

CENTER OF 2.3 2.4 2.4

FREQUENCY (GHZ)

Fig. (9) layout of parallel coupled bandpass filter (optimized)

Insertion loss (dB) ≥2 0.941 0.939

For manual etching is difficult to etch micrometer, also if it

Return loss (dB) 12 16.567 16.033
could etched the saw edges will appear on the sides of the filter
and this will add some capacitances and inductances. It is better Attenuation ripple
to approximate all dimensions and tested on the ADS2005A (dB) - 0.095 0.135
simulator. The approximate dimensions are listed on table IV,
also insertion ripple, transmission and reflection coefficient is
illustrated in the figure (10), (11). The response is found near
equal to the optimized response.

VI. CONCLUSION
Forward Transmission, dB
m3m2
0 The parallel coupled microstrip bandpass filter is designed and
m1
-5 freq=2.439GHz
dB(S(1,1))=-16.033 simulated in this paper for wireless communication at center
-10 m2
freq=2.392GHz
m1 dB(S(2,1))=-0.939 frequency 2.4 GHz. Substrate that has relative dielectric 4.4
-15
dB(S(1,1))
dB(S(2,1))

m3
-20 freq=2.337GHz and tangent losses about 0.002 is used. Half wavelength long
dB(S(2,1))=-1.074
-25 resonators and admittance inverters are used to design the
-30
bandpass filter. ADS2005A simulator and LinCalc are used in
-35

-40
the design; also an approximation is done on the all
2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0
dimensions and gets a good result in the transmission and
freq, GHz

reflection coefficient response.

Fig. (10) S12 and S11 response after approximation

Forward Transmission, dB REFERENCES

-0.7
m1
freq=2.439GHz
-0.8 dB(S(1,1))=-16.033

-0.9 m2 m2 [1] D. M. Pozar, Microwave Engineering, 2nd ed.

freq=2.392GHz
dB(S(2,1))=-0.939
NewYork:Wiley, 1998.
-1.0
[2] G. Mattaei, L. Young, and E. M. T. Jones, Microwave
dB(S(1,1))
dB(S(2,1))

m3 m3
-1.1 freq=2.337GHz
dB(S(2,1))=-1.074
Filters, Impedance-Matching Networks, and coupled
Structures, Artech House, Norwood, MA, 1980.
-1.2
[3] Jia-Sheng Hong, Microstrip Filters for RF/Microwave
-1.3 Applications, Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
-1.4 [4] Cohn, S.B. “Parallel Coupled Transmission Line
m1 Resonator Filters”, TRE Transactions on Microwave
-1.5 Theory and Techniques, April 1958, pp 223 – 231.
2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0
freq, GHz
[5] Bahl and P. Bhartia, Microwave SolidStute Circuit
Design, Jhon Wiley & Sons, New Jersey, 2003
Fig. (11) insertion ripple after approximation [6] Himanshu Madan, Design Of Microstrip Bandpass Filters,
STP 2007 Project Report, College of . Engineering,
Pune.
[7] Rashid Ahmad Bhatti, Jahangir Khan Kayani, “Design
and analysis of parallel coupled microstrip band pass
filter”, 2nd International Bhurban Conference on Applied
Sciences and Technology,Bhurban,Pakisten. June 16-21,
2003.