A high-pass filter is an electronic circuit or signal processing tool that allows frequencies higher than a certain cutoff frequency to pass through while attenuating (reducing) frequencies lower than the cutoff frequency. In other words, it lets high-frequency signals through and blocks low-frequency signals.
The specific range of frequencies that a high-pass filter allows to pass depends on its design and the chosen cutoff frequency. Frequencies above the cutoff frequency are considered to be in the passband and will be relatively unaffected by the filter, while frequencies below the cutoff are in the stopband and will be attenuated.
For example, if a high-pass filter has a cutoff frequency of 1 kHz, it will allow signals with frequencies higher than 1 kHz to pass through, while attenuating signals with frequencies below 1 kHz.
It's important to note that high-pass filters don't provide a sharp transition between the passband and stopband. Instead, they have a slope known as the roll-off that determines how quickly the filter attenuates frequencies below the cutoff.
In summary, a high-pass filter allows frequencies higher than its cutoff frequency to pass through while attenuating frequencies below that cutoff frequency. The passband includes all frequencies above the cutoff frequency, and the stopband includes all frequencies below it.