Butterworth Window for Power Spectral Density Estimation

The power spectral density of a signal can be estimated most accurately by using a window with a narrow bandwidth and large sidelobe attenuation. Conventional windows generally control these characteristics by only one parameter, so there is a trade-off problem: if the bandwidth is reduced, the sidelobe attenuation is also reduced. To overcome this problem, we propose using a Butterworth window with two control parameters for power spectral density estimation and analyze its characteristics. Simulation results demonstrate that the sidelobe attenuation and the 3 dB bandwidth can be controlled independently. Thus, the trade-off problem between resolution and spectral leakage in the estimated power spectral density can be overcome.