Project 1: Filter


Design of a Microwave Band-Pass Filter

In this project you will learn how to design a microwave band-pass filter using edge-coupled open ended half-wave resonators.

Grade Weight: 25% of Total Grade


Project Handout:
PROJECT 1 - Design of An MIC Edge-Coupled Band-Pass Filter (71.8 kB) 

Filter Report Submission:


Click on the folder below to submit your filter report (it will open the submission form):
BF Filter Report Submissions
Due Date:  Monday Nov. 4, 2019 Beginning of Class.
Filter submission link available until Monday 11:59 PM.

Important:  Submit only as a PDF, any other format will not be accepted.

i) Please use the following file submission nomenclature:

               BFPR_Initials (first name, last name) _ Student number _ vX

As an example, if this was your name, student number, and submission version:
  • Student Name: Shakeeb Abdullah
  • Student Number: 100988283
  • Version Submission: v0
Then you would name your submission file as:

              BPFR_SA_100988283_v0.pdf

ii) Your first submission will be v0.  Every time you re-upload your report, increase the version number by 1.  Ex. next iteration of project upload would be:

              BFPR_SA_100988283_v1.pdf

You can keep re-uploading your report until the submission link above is deactivated; at which point the report will be no longer accepted.  The latest version that was uploaded will be used for marking.

Updates: 


October 26th, 2019:

The copper thickness of the board that was used for your fabrication was 1 oz and not 0.5 oz used in the simulations.  You can change that in your simulation and see what difference it makes, and then compare it with your measured results.

October 17th, 2019:

Using S2P files from your filter measurements:


  • To use your .s2p file (2-port measurements), use the S2P block in ADS and browse to your .s2p file.
  • Simulate using the S_Param block, and then plot just like a normal simulation.
  • You can compare both your simulation and measured (.s2p file) results on the same graph.

October 2nd, 2019:

Please conform to these layout constraints for tape-out:



Project Submission:

Click on the folder below to submit your project (it will open the submission form):

BF Filter Submissions
Filter submission link will disable on Saturday Oct 5, 12:00 PM.

i) Please use the following file submission nomenclature:

               Initials (first name, last name) _ Student number _ vX

As an example, if this was your name, student number, and submission version:
  • Student Name: Shakeeb Abdullah
  • Student Number: 100988283
  • Version Submission: v0
Then you would name your submission file as:

              SA_100988283_v0

ii) Your first submission will be v0.  Every time you re-upload your project, increase the version number by 1.  Ex. next iteration of project upload would be:

              SA_100988283_v1

You can keep re-uploading your project (whether you have an updated design or you fixed an error) until the submission link above is deactivated; at which point the projects will be no longer accepted.  The latest version that was uploaded will be used for your filter tape-out.

iii) Submit your project as a 7zads archive (ex. SA_100988283_v0.7zads).
  • From the ADS Main Menu Window, select File >> Archive Workspace
  • Uncheck Data Displays


  • Uncheck Include EM data files for visualization


Announcements:

 

i) Use MCLIN for your microstrip resonators.  Use MLIN for your end strip 50 ohm lines leading to the SMA connectors.


MCLIN

ii) For your initials on your BP Filter (to identify your filter), please strictly use these settings and fonts:
  • Font Height: 200 mils
  • Font Type: Straight
  • Layer: cond
Please use the font through the "Block Text Fonts" drop-down menu and not through the text shape icon:


iii) For chevrons use:

  • 100 mils x 100 mils square
And use it in this configuration for them:



iv) Hint: For your physical microstrip filter, try to optimize the design to your theoretical filter, and then manually tune it if your return loss lobes are unequal.  If your optimization does not help at all, try other optimization techniques.

v) Absolutely make sure that you zoom in all the way and that the parts that should be connected are connected together without any space in between them.

vi) For final filter version for tape-out, please only use two decimal places max for the lengths and widths of your microstrip components.

vii) For now use these settings for your substrate (RT/Duroid 5880):

  • Substrate thickness: 31 mils
  • Relative Permittivity: 2.2
  • Copper thickness: 0.70 mil
  • Loss Tangent: 0.0009 @ 10 GHz
  • Surface Roughness: 55 micro-inch
  • Copper Conductivity: 5.8 x 10^7  

However be ready to optimize and tune your filter design should there be a change in the substrate in either to another version of Duroid or FR4.

viii) Remember guys, minimum line width and spacing is 10 mils, do not make it any smaller!

Report Requirements:


  • Report is 20 pages max from Introduction to Conclusion.  Use your space wisely and accordingly.  Don't use 18 pages just for theory and then 2 pages for everything else.
  • Make sure to include a Title Page stating:
    • Project Name
    • Student Name
    • Student Number
    • Submission Date
  • The 20 page limit does not include the pre and post matter such as the Title Page, Abstract, Tables and Lists, and References.
  • Number all pages appropriately.

  • In the discussion section give 4-6 concrete reasons as to why your filter response might have been different then your simulation results.
  • Discuss the benefits and trade-offs between using optimization and tuning.
  • Even if you did not use optimization, discuss the various optimization methods and if some of them could have served you better for your filter design than the others.  Discuss at-least two of them (ex. gradient and quasi-newton) in greater detail.
  • For your theoretical plot of your low-pass and band-pass response, include horizontal and vertical lines showing the ripple level and cut-off frequency (similar to Figure 1.3 and Figure 1.4 in your filter project handout).


Tutorial of the VNA Calibration and Measurement of Filter Using VNA During COVID-19 [Fall 2020]:



Extra Resources:


An example of a BP Filter where as the insertion loss increases the pass bandwidth decreases [1]:


BP Filter Return Loss: 

See https://www.microwaves101.com/encyclopedias/lumped-element-filters
See https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/tools/vswr-return-loss-calculator/

ADS MCLIN:  https://edadocs.software.keysight.com/display/ads2009/MCLIN+(Microstrip+Coupled+Lines)

For further filter design information see Ch. 8 of Pozar Textbook. 

For more information on calibration method of SOLT see this:
https://www.minicircuits.com/app/AN49-017.pdf

References:


[1] http://txrx.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/How-Frequency-Affects-Transmit-Combiner-Design.pdf

[2] https://www.cobhamaes.com/