IEEE TRANSACITONS ON CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS, VOL. CAS-27, NO.
5, MAY 1980
Analysis of Active RC Networks by Decomposition
ARTICE M. DAVIS, MEMBER, IEEE, AND EVAN A.
MOUSTAKAS, MEMBER, IEEE
Absmwr-A method is developed for rapid and intuitive analysis of
aetive RC networks. Only first-or& the cmtstmts or poles and resistive
voltage transfer ratios need be computed, these being calculated wltb the
varlow capadtols repbwed by either shorts- or open-circnlt~. A computa-
tion gmpb is presented for order@ the calculatiom.
INTRODUCTION
Consider the general active RC network of Fig. 1. All the
capacitances have been extracted, leaving a linear active resis-
tance network. Any source and/or load resistances have been
incorporated into the nondynamic network. The principal aim of
this paper is to present a general, intuitive method of analyzing
such a network by decomposing it into a set of single capacitor
networks.*
ANALYSIS
It is well known that a linear n-capacitor network possesses a
voltage transfer function which is bilinear in each capacitive
admittance. From this fact follows the general form of such a
voltage transfer function:
fz,s”+u,~,s”-l+ * * * +u,sk+. * * +a0
H(s) = -Vo(s) = (1)
V,Cs) b,S”+b,-IS”-‘+a*’ +bkSk+**’ +bo
where
u,=Za!. *,~2~~~ikci,ci2~* ’ Ci, =2:(yi,i2...ik
and
bk=Zpi;i2...i~Ci,Ci2. ” CikiEX&,i2...ik*
The summations are performed over all possible ways of select-
ing k capacitors from a population of size n. The coefficients
a,,il...ik and /3i,i2...ik have been defined as absorbing the capaci-
tances for later notational convenience. All coefficients are
finite, but can be zero in value.
The numerator coefficients can be expressed in terms of those
in the denominator in the following fashion. Simply let
G,, G,, ’ ’ . 9Ci, tend to infinity, thus becoming short-circuits, and
allow all other capacitances to approach zero, thus becoming
open-circuits. The observation that all terms involving
coefficients other than Q,...~, and /3i,i,...i, will contain either a
capacitor of zero value or a proper subset of the infinite valued
capacitors leads to the relation
(yi,i2...ik=Hi,i *... ik&,il...ik
where iYi,i,,.. .i* is the voltage transfer ratio of the resistive
network obtained by shorting Ci.,, C,,,. . . , Ci, and open-circuiting
all other capacitors. The notation Ho will be used to indicate
that all capacitors are opened. Thus knowledge of the
coefficients of the characteristic polynomial determines those in
the numerator.
The coefficients & can be determined in an algorithmic
fashion. In fact, it is possible to obtain &,il...iL in terms of any
Manuscript received April 8, 1971; revised June 6, 1979.
The authors are with the Department of Electrical Engineering, San Jose
State University, San Jose, CA 95192.
‘Some restricted applications of tbis technique were presented in [l], 121,
a&(3].
0098-4094/80/0500-0417$00.75
417
Fig. 1.
i, cc L
--
+
V :.
- -c!3
Fig. 2.
denominator coefficient of order k - 1 whose subscripts form a
subset of {ii, i,, . ’ . ik}. Suppose all capacitors whose subscripts
do not fall in the index set {i,, iz, . . . ik} are open-circuited, thus
forcing their values to zero. Suppose, furthermore, that a capaci-
tor whose subscript is in the index set is selected arbitrarily (say
ik without loss of generality), and all other capacitors are per-
mitted to approach infinity in value-thus becoming short-
circuits. It becomes apparent that the network degenerates to the
single capacitor circuit of Fig. 2, and the characteristic poly-
nomial becomes one of first degree:
Pi:iZ...i~Ci*S+Pi:i2...i*--l. (5)
(2) The network of Fig. 2 is readily analyzed in traditional fashion
by shortcircuiting the source and calculating the time constant.
This yields, by comparison with (5),
(3)
Pi,il...ilr=T~i2.‘.ik-‘Ipi,i2...ix-, (6)
where &.“h-l is the time constant due to Ci, with the capaci-
tors cokesponding to the superscripts shorted and all others
open-circuited. This relation can also be written in terms of the
first-order pole’ as
p, ,_._ _ = p.hi2+k-~fli,i *,,, in .
‘112 ‘k I c (7)
It is now clear that all denominator coefficients (assuming that
the network is not degenerate) can be expressed in terms of b. by
(6) or in terms of PL2...,, = b, by (7), and the numerator
coefficients can be similarly expressed by using (4). The common
factor (b. or b,) cancels and the determination is complete.
COMPUTATION GRAPH
(4)
A graphical technique has been devised for ordering the time
constant or pole calculations. A representative graph is depicted
in Fig. 3 for the case n=3. The nodes are labeled with the
coefficients of the characteristic polynomial to be calculated,
each level representing those coefficients pertinent to the corre-
sponding power of s. The edges are labeled with time constants
to be calculated in order to express the terminal vertex
coefficient in terms of the initial vertex coefficient. In the pole
representation, computation proceeds in the reverse direction.
Each edge terminating on a node represents an alternative for
expressing the coefficients of the terminal vertex in time con-
tActually the negotiw of the pole, but “pole” will be used here synony-
mously with reciprocal time constant.
01980 IEEE
418 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS, VOL. CAS-27, NO. 5, MAY 1980

Fig. 3.

Fig. 5.

infinity. Note that since all coefficients must be finite, if

~il~2”‘~*-1
‘k
=0 (6) implies that fli,i2...ili =O. Alternatively, if
Ti;c2...ik--I = M or p,i&...i
Fig. 4. ( k- I= 0) then /3i,i,. ik-, = 0. The next ex-
ample demonstrat& the utility of the computation graph in
scheduling the time constant/pole calculations in this case.
stant form, and each edge originating on a node represents an
alternative in the pole calculation. Example 2
The graph provides an excellent mnemonic device for de-
termining which time constants or poles to calculate. This proves The circuit shown in Fig. 5 is a - KRC realization incorporat-
to be particularly useful in the presence of degeneracy. ing three capacitors [5]. The associated computation graph is
also illustrated in Fig. 5. The heavy edges represent zero time
EXAMPLES constants. By inspection, one can derive the following:
The examples presented in this section have been selected as T:~=T;~=T;~=~ T;=(R~IIR~)C,
representative of the practical application of the decomposition
method. They are not intended to “stress” the method through T;=o T;=R,C, T;=(~+K)R 2 c 2 T;=o

inordinate complexity, and it is not the authors’ intention to T;=(l+K)(R,II&)cj T,=Rlc,

pursue exhaustive comparisons with topological methods and
other techniques. It is felt that the modularity and intuitive T~=(R,+R~)C~ T~=R,C~.

nature of the decomposition method are its distinctive (and
practical) features, and that these facets of the technique are well
illustrated in the examples presented here.
Example 1
Fig. 4 illustrates a KRC realization of a two-capacitor opera-
tional amplifier active filter [4]. The corresponding computation
Note that not all the above time constant calculations are
essential-only those required to “cover the graph.” By (4) it is
only necessary to compute the transfer ratios associated with
nonzero denominator coefficients. Thus
H,2= -K H2,=Hl=H2=H3=Ho=0.
Therefore, using one possible schedule of computation

- KR,R2C,C2s2
H(s) =
[R,R2C,C2+(l+K)R,R2C2C3]s2+[R,C,+(R,+R2)C2+R,C3]s+1’

graph is also shown in Fig. 4. By inspection one obtains Note that /I3 and pi3 are both zero, hence H3 and H,, need not
be computed.
T;= - R2 As an additional example,3 of degeneracy, one which
~:=(&llRdC,
1-K”
illustrates multiple degeneracy, consider the active network of
T,=(l-K)RlC, T~=(RI+%)CZ Fig. 4 with R, replaced by a capacitor C,. It is straightforward to
show that
H,,=H,=H,=O Ho= K.
‘2= =T;3=Tf3=T;=T;4)
73
Therefore,
and
K
H(s) = . (8)
R,R,C,C,s’+[(l-K)R,C,+(R,+R,)C,]s+l
In some cases, degeneracy can arise. This will result from one ‘This simple example of multiple degeneracy was suggested by a reviewer,
or more time constants assuming a value which is either zero or to whom the authors are grateful.
IEEE TRANSACXONS ON CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS, VOL. CA&~‘, NO. 5, M A Y 1980 419

while TABLE I
I 1
I- -- RC2 r:= RC,,
72
1-K’
rf = RC,, and r;= RC,.
Thus the only nonzero coefficients are p12, p2s, /It, f12, and &.
Any one of these coefficients can be taken as unity, and the
other four expressed in terms of it. The resulting transfer func-
tion can be then shown to have the form (after cancelling the
common s factor) Modified
ki
Cauer I e I ’ I

H(s)= . (10) allows the construction of functional approximations to a given

1 function without unwieldy calculations; this finds application in

system reduction [lo]; [ 111.
The first solution for the inversion problem was proposed by
CONCLUSION Chen and Shieh [1] and this was followed by the procedures in
A method has been presented for the analysis of active RC [2] and [3]. All the three procedures involve tedious computa-
networks which is modular, effective, and intuitive to apply. tions. In [4]-[S] algorithms based on the Routh array for the
Complex impedance calculations are unnecessary, and the final inversion of Cauer I or Cauer II forms have been developed.
form of the transfer function is obtained immediately. A com- These inversion algorithms start with the last quotient and
putation graph was developed which permits swift ordering of successive quotients are added in the reverse order.
the time, constant/pole calculations, thus permitting the method In contrast, the algorithm presented in this letter begins with
to be easily applied when the network is degenerate. The decom- the first quotient and progresses in the forward direction. It can
position technique should prove to be a useful method for the be terminated at any desired point and a number of approxima-
analysis of practical active RC networks. tions of different orders are directly available from the rows of
the inversion table.
REFERENCES
111 R. D. Thornton et al., Mulfistage Transistor Circuits. New York: Wiley, II. THREE CAUER FORMS OF CONTINUED FRACXON
1965, ch. 1.
PI B. L. Cochrun and A. Grabel, “A method for the determination of the Consider the following rational transfer function:
transfer function of electronic circuits,” IEEE Tram. Circuits Syst., vol.
CT-20, Jan. 1973.
[31 A. M. Davis and E. A. Moustakas, “Singular pole analysis of active 41+42s+. . . +q,sn-’
filters,” in Proc. Fifteenth AlIerton Conf. on Communication, Control, and &T(s)
=
Pl +P2s + . . . +A+ IS”
Computing, pp. 632-637, Sept. 1977.
141 R. P. Sallen and E. L. Key, “A practical method of designing RC active
filters,” IRE Tram. Circuit Theory, vol. CT-2, May, 1955. where pi’s and q,‘s are constants. Equation (1) can be expanded
[51 A. Budak, Passive and Active Nehvork Analysis and Synthesis. Boston, into the following generalized form of continued fraction:
MA: Houghton-Mifflin, 1974.

1
&r(s) = (2)
b,
a1 +
62
a,+ -
b3
u3+ -.
A Generalized Algorithm for the Inversion of Cauer
Type Continued Fractions
R. PARTHASARATHY AND SARAN JOHN where u,‘s and hi’s are defined as in Table I.
The Cauer I and Cauer II forms, which are well known in the
Abs?mct-A new generalized algurithm,wbkb cao be pmgmmmedon a literature [lo], give, respectively, a satisfactory approximation in
digital computer, is established for performing the inversion of the Gwer the transient portion and in the steady-state portion of the
type euntinued fractions. system response. To obtain a good approximation to both the
initial and steady-state portions of the response, Chuang [9]
I. INTRODUCTION
carried out the expansion about s =0 and s = cc alternately
The inversion of a continued fraction to a rational transfer resulting in the following representation, which we call the
function is of considerable practical interest in the area of modified Cauer form [ 151:
circuits and systems [13], [14]. The use of continued fraction
1
Manuscript received October 9, 1978; revised June 6, 1979. g(s) = S (3)
R. Parthasarathy is with the Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian k,+
Institute of Technology, Madras, India. k,+A
S. John is with the Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute k,+-
of Technology, Madras, India, on leave from the Karnataka Regional En-
gineering College, Suratkal, India.

0098-4094/80/0500-0419%00.75 01980 IEEE