IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, VOL. 53, NO.

7, JULY 2005 2411

Design of Generalized Chebyshev Filters With

Asymmetrically Located Transmission Zeros
Zlatoljub D. Milosavljevic, Member, IEEE

Abstract—A simple design technique is introduced for general- presented for the calculation of transmission zeros for a class of
ized Chebyshev filters with asymmetrically located transmission generalized Chebyshev filters with a maximum of four asym-
zeros. The efficient and exact procedure is given for the calcula- metrically located transmission zeros of any multiplicity. This
tion of transmission zeros for a class of generalized Chebyshev
low-pass prototype filters with a maximum of four asymmetrically is the extension of the procedure for two transmission zeros,
located transmission zeros of any multiplicity. This technique is given in [12]. The extreme-value frequencies are expressed
based on obtaining the frequencies of magnitude characteristic in the closed form. Real transmission zeros are calculated by
extreme values in closed form, and after this, transmission zeros solving nonlinear equations. Calculated values of orders of
can be calculated by solving a system of nonlinear equations. zeros of maximally selective filters with equiripple character-
Novel formulas for orders of zeros of maximally selective filters
with equiripple characteristics in the passband and stopband are istics in the passband and stopband are given in the table in
deduced. The obtained results are verified and illustrated by given Section III for filter degrees ranging from 2 to 14. These results
examples. are used to deduce new formulas for zero orders in closed form.
Index Terms—Asymmetric response, generalized Chebyshev fil- By using these formulas, zero orders can be calculated for filter
ters, maximum selectivity, zero order, zeros. degrees and a maximum of four transmission zeros of
any multiplicity.
The transfer function for the prototype filter can be obtained
I. INTRODUCTION
after the transmission zeros are calculated. The next stage in the

T HE generalized Chebyshev amplitude characteristic de-

fines a filter with equiripple passband response. However,
transmission zeros can be arbitrarily placed in the stopband.
synthesis is the extraction of the prototype elements from the
transfer function. For example, the extraction of the finite fre-
quency transmission zeros in the form of inverters and shunt ca-
Since the transmission zeros can be placed arbitrarily, then pacitance and susceptance elements. Finally, the prototype net-
both symmetric and asymmetric frequency responses can be work can be transformed into its equivalent cross-coupled net-
achieved. In this case, an asymmetric frequency response work (using triplets), a form that is more easily realizable in
means that the transmission zeros are located on only one side practice. Three examples are given. The first example demon-
of the passband, whereas a symmetric response results when strates the transmission zeros calculation for a maximally selec-
transmission zeros are placed on both sides of the passband. A tive filter. The second one describes the synthesis of a general-
synthesis procedure for generalized Chebyshev filters with a ized Chebyshev asymmetrical prototype filter. The last example
maximum of four real transmission zeros of any multiplicity is shows a designed and realized filter in ceramic technology.
already known [1]–[7]. However, the considered filters are with
symmetrically located transmission zeros . II. EXTREME VALUES AND TRANSMISSION ZEROS
Many applications require that a microwave filter should
The generalized Chebyshev magnitude squared characteristic
be more selective on one side of the passband than the other
with multiple asymmetrically located transmission zeros can be
[8]–[10]. For example, in cellular communications (base station
written in the form [12]
and handset applications), a transmit filter should have high
attenuation in the receive band and vice versa [8]. This may be (1)
elegantly achieved by using a generalized Chebyshev prototype where
filter with asymmetrically located transmission zeros. There
is no simple relation for calculating the degree of the gener- (2)
alized Chebyshev filter because the transmission zeros can be
placed arbitrarily. The standard method for transmission zero (3)
and
estimation is to simulate the transfer function on a computer
and select the zero locations as required [10]. Another different
(4)
and interesting design method is presented in [11], but it deals
with a multiple and symmetrically located transmission zero
In the above equations, is the filter degree, is the number
for a filter with Butterworth characteristic in the passband. In
of zeros at infinity, is the number of zeros, is the order of
this paper, an exact, efficient, and simple procedure will be
the unknown transmission zero , and
Manuscript received October 18, 2004; revised January 5, 2005.
The author is with LK Products, 90440 Kempele, Finland (e-mail: Zla- (5)
[email protected]).
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TMTT.2005.850430 where is the maximum attenuation in the passband.
0018-9480/$20.00 © 2005 IEEE

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 2412 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, VOL. 53, NO. 7, JULY 2005

The proposed procedure for finding the transmission zeros Equation (13) can be solved by Cardan’s method [13] to ob-
starts with the determination of the frequencies of magnitude tain the roots . An arbitrarily chosen value of is
characteristic extreme values. By equating the first derivative of used to form
to zero, the following equation: (15)
(16)
(6)
The four roots of the above equations are also roots of (9). The
frequencies of magnitude characteristic extreme values, which
is obtained. This equation is valid when all transmission zeros are the roots of (7), are calculated by use of
are located above the passband, i.e., in the case of the prototype for .
filter, it gives . In the other case, when asymmetrically The transmission zeros and can be found
located transmission zeros are below the passband ( for by equating the attenuation characteristic to the specified min-
a prototype filter), (6) can be applied, and after the transmission imums of attenuation in the stopband at the frequencies of ex-
zeros calculation, it is necessary to change the sign of the values, treme values. In this way, a system of nonlinear equations is
i.e., to take . The (6) can be reduced to a polynomial form obtained. Transmission zeros may be obtained by solving
of degree . Roots of (6) are the frequencies of magnitude this system. One specific and commonly used practical case is
characteristic extreme values in the stopband. The solutions for that the magnitude characteristic is equiripple in the stopband,
have been described in [12], whereas the case with three i.e., attenuation in the stopband is equal to at all frequen-
transmission zeros, i.e., , can be obtained by applying cies of extreme values. Another important parameter is the fre-
Cardan’s method [13]. quency , which is the measure of the filter selectivity. This is
In the case of the filter with four transmission zeros, , the frequency at which the attenuation characteristic reaches the
(6) yields minimum value for the first time. The procedure presented
(7) for the determination of transmission zeros is general, and it
can be used for the design of any magnitude characteristic in
where the coefficients and are the stopband. This means that the magnitude characteristic can
have different values at the frequencies of extreme values in the
stopband, not only equiripple.
After obtaining the transmission zeros, the magnitude char-
acteristic should be determined. The polynomial form (2) can
be represented in the form [8], [9]

(17)
where the complex frequency and transmission zeros
are , taking into account all the trans-
mission zeros at finite, as well as infinite frequencies.
The transfer function can be formed as
(18)
(8)
where is defined by (1), whereas the reflection func-
tion can be formed as
The next replacement [13] of by changes (7) into
(19)
(9)
where can be obtained from the left half-plane roots of the de-
nominator of (19).
(10)
(11) III. NEW FORMULAS FOR ZERO ORDERS
(12) Many different filters are analyzed by use of specially cre-
ated programs. The calculated values of zero orders are given
To solve (9), it is necessary to form the equation
in Table I for maximally selective filters of degrees ,
(13) the maximum selectivity criterion being that of minimizing .
A maximally selective filter has the steepest attenuation charac-
where
teristic in the transition region and the transition region between
and (14) passband and stopband is the smallest possible. The calculated

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MILOSAVLJEVIC: DESIGN OF GENERALIZED CHEBYSHEV FILTERS WITH ASYMMETRICALLY LOCATED TRANSMISSION ZEROS 2413

TABLE I In the above equations, the minimum filter degree is

ZERO ORDERS FOR FILTER DEGREES 2  n  14 and . It is very important to note the periodic
character of zero orders. These new formulas are valid for all
possible filter degrees.

IV. APPLICATIONS

A. Transmission Zeros Calculation

The generalized Chebyshev low-pass prototype filter with the
following requirements is designed in this example:
dB, dB, , and . The de-
sign is based on the previously presented procedure and using
new formulas for zero orders. It starts from the minimum filter
degree with four single transmission zeros
. The calculated values are
values of are valid for equiripple attenuation characteristics in , and .
both the passband, as well as the stopband. This value of does not fulfill the given condition. The de-
The calculated numerical values of are used to derive new sign procedure is continued for the filter degree . Three
expressions of zero orders in the closed form for maximally se- transmission zeros are still single, i.e., , and the
lective filters with asymmetrically located transmission zeros fourth is double, i.e., . The values
of different degrees and number of zeros. In the case of max- and
imally selective generalized Chebyshev filters, the order of the are calculated in this case. The value for is still
first transmission zero is defined by greater than that required, and the calculation is continued for
the filter degree . Now the orders of transmission zeros
(20) are and . For this filter, transmis-
sion zeros are
where is the integer part of and period . This and , and the frequency at which the attenuation
is valid for all values of , i.e., and . characteristic reaches the minimum value for the first time
For filters with two transmission zeros, , and the order is . The calculation is complete because this filter
of the second zero is fulfills the given requirements.

(21)
B. Synthesis Example
other
For filters with three transmission zeros, , and the order A third-degree low-pass prototype network with two trans-
of the second zero is mission zeros at infinity and one at finite frequency will be syn-
thesized. The given filter specifications are: 1) maximum atten-
(22) uation in the passband dB; 2) minimum attenu-
other ation in the stopband dB; 3) filter degree ;
4) number of zeros ; and 5) the order of transmission zero
and the order of the third zero is .
(23) The transmission zero value is calculated
using the presented procedure; corresponding filter selectivity
In the last case of the filters with four transmission zeros, is . This is the frequency at which the attenuation
, and the order of the second zero is characteristic reaches the minimum value for the first time.
The calculated parameter is .
(24) can be calculated as it is explained previously, and
other then can be formed from the left half-
plane roots of the denominator of (19). The input admittance
The order of the third zero is
can be formed as
(25)
where is as given in (21), whereas the order of the fourth zero
is

(26)
(27)
other

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 2414 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, VOL. 53, NO. 7, JULY 2005

Fig. 1. Third-degree generalized Chebyshev asymmetrical filter.

Fig. 3. S -parameter simulations of a synthesized third-degree filter.

Fig. 4. Side view of a TEM combline ceramic filter.

simulated transmission and reflection characteristics for the

filter synthesized in this example are given in Fig. 3.

Fig. 2. Cross-coupled realization of a generalized Chebyshev filter. C. Realization Example

The generalized Chebyshev low-pass prototype filters can be
where used in the design of filters realized in different technologies.
For example, they are applicable in dielectric loaded filters. One
and . particular case is a ceramic TEM filter or diplexer realization
The synthesis procedure is described in [8] and [12], and the widely used in handset applications. The dielectric loaded wave-
complete synthesis cycle is shown in Fig. 1. The element values guide filter is another type of realization, which is suitable for
are cellular radio base-station applications. These filters are also
and . widely used in satellite communication applications.
It should be noted here that the frequency invariant reac- As an example, a ceramic bandpass filter, which can be used
tances/susceptances do not exist in practice, but can be as a PCS1900 receive (Rx) filter for handset applications will be
approximated over a narrow frequency band by inductors or realized. The chosen asymmetric low-pass prototype has to ful-
capacitors. fill the next requirements: maximum attenuation in the passband
The realized prototype filter shown in Fig. 1 is not partic- dB (this corresponds to the value
ularly useful for bandpass filter applications. A standard low- or maximum return loss of 24.45 dB), nonequiripple attenua-
pass to bandpass transformation of this circuit would give two tion characteristic in the stopband with three different atten-
shunt bandpass resonators shunted by susceptances. This is not uation levels of dB, dB, and
a problem since they can be absorbed into the resonators, re- dB, filter degree , number of zeros ,
sulting in the small change of resonant frequencies. However, and the orders of transmission zeros .
the series branch would become a bandstop resonator in series The calculated transmission zeros based on the previous re-
with a reactance, which is very difficult to realize in any mi- quirements are and
crowave technology, except by using lumped elements. . Using negative transmission zeros values
From the practical point-of-view, it is more convenient and , and applying a standard low-pass to bandpass filter
to transform the realized network into a cross-coupled net- transformation procedure, the corresponding Rx filter can be de-
work [8], [12]. The final transformed network is shown signed. The specified center frequency of the PCS1900 Rx band
in Fig. 2. The calculated element values are is 1.96 GHz and bandwidth is 60 MHz.
The realized bandpass filter is a combline structure presented
. This in Fig. 4. The dimensions are mm mm, and
network has a cross-coupling inverter from input to output. The length is mm. It consists of a high-permittivity ceramic

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MILOSAVLJEVIC: DESIGN OF GENERALIZED CHEBYSHEV FILTERS WITH ASYMMETRICALLY LOCATED TRANSMISSION ZEROS 2415

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The author would like to thank Dr. M. Roberts, Filtronic,
Shipley, U.K., for his help in making this paper’s manuscript
more clear and understandable, and the reviewers for very useful
comments.

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V. CONCLUSION [11] J. Huruya and R. Sato, “Transmission characteristics and a design
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the design of the class of generalized Chebyshev magnitude [12] Z. D. Milosavljevic, “A class of generalized Chebyshev prototype filters
characteristic with asymmetrically located transmission zeros. with asymmetrically located transmission zeros,” in Proc. 6th Int. TEL-
The transmission zeros can be of arbitrary multiplicity, and their SIKS Conf., Nis, Serbia and Montenegro, Oct. 2003, pp. 323–326.
[13] M. Abramowitz and I. A. Stegun, Eds., Handbook of Mathematical
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acteristic extreme values in the stopband have been obtained
in closed form. Transmission zeros have been calculated by
solving nonlinear equations and new equations for zero orders
of maximally selective filters with equiripple stopband charac-
teristic have been presented. The generalized Chebyshev proto- Zlatoljub D. Milosavljevic (S’94–M’01) was born
type is one of the most useful because it combines the equiripple in Knjazevac, Yugoslavia, in August 1968. He
amplitude characteristic with the arbitrary position of transmis- received the Dipl.-Ing., M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees
in electrical engineering from the University of
sion zeros in the complex plane. These filters are suitable for Nis, Nis, Yugoslavia, in 1993, 1997, and 2001,
realization in different technologies, e.g., ceramic technology, respectively.
cavity, and waveguide filters, etc., and can be used in handsets, From 1993 to 2000, he was a Research and
Teaching Assistant with the Faculty of Electronic
base-station, and satellite applications, etc. Three examples have Engineering, University of Nis. In September 2000,
been given. One of them has verified transmission zeros calcu- he joined Handset Products (now LK Products), Fil-
lation procedure, another has presented the synthesis procedure tronic LK, Kempele, Finland, where he is currently
Research Engineer. His main research interests are active and passive antennas,
for the prototype, and the third has shown a realized ceramic network synthesis, signal processing, filters, diplexers, and multiplexers with
filter for handset applications. lumped and distributed elements.

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