A Method for the Design of Near-Optimum Filters for Nuclear Signal Transmission Systems

A novel approach for designing near-optimum filters for coaxial transmission lines carrying nuclear signals is here presented. The method involves a nonlinear least-squares fitting of the filter parameters to best-fit the desired ideal response. Unlike previous empirical methods to match the amplitude response of the cable, the fitting is done here to both amplitude and phase responses. The algorithm used in order to determine the best set of filter parameters is one that combines the best features of the gradient search method on the hypersufrace formed by the parameters, with the analytical solution of the fitting function, providing fast convergence. After the set of filter parameters that give the best fit to the ideal response is determined, the actual filter is designed. A computer program has been developed to do the fitting, the design, and to display the results in both tabular and graphical forms.