Frequency Response | PartQuest™ Explore

This design shows the use of the TDFS (Time Domain Frequency Sweep) method to measure the frequency response of two low-pass filters. One is just a simple RC filter circuit with 1 kHz cut-off frequency. The other is an equivalent filter using a switched-capacitor implementation.

Both small-signal AC (frequency domain) and TDFS (time-domain) analyses are run, and both give the same results for the RC filter. However, because of the switching aspect of the switched-capacitor filter, the results of the AC analysis are meaningless for that circuit. However, the TDFS approach is valid for that filter also, as well as for any other circuit or system containing switching, sampled data or digital content.

For reference, note in the schematic that the R-C filter is connected to channel 1 of the TDFS instrument, and the switched capacitor filter is connected to channel 2, hence the v1 and v2 distinction in the name of the results for the magnitude (dbMag) and phase. Both are measured relative to the stimulus input vosc, the oscillator output.

About text formats