ABSTRACT
Using sensitivity one can evaluate the change in a filter performance characteristic (bandpass, Q-factor) or in a filter function (input impedance, transfer function) resulting from a change in the nominal value of one or more of the filter components. Hence, sensitivities and based on them, sensitivity measures, can be used to compare different realizations of electric filters that meet the same specifications. Sensitivities can also be used to estimate the spread of the performance characteristic caused by the spread of the element values. In the design of filters one is interested both in choosing realizations that have low sensitivities and in minimizing the sensitivities. This allows use of components with wider tolerances for a given variation or a given spread of the filter characteristic or function.
