Transfer function and the Laplace transform

+∞
L[ f (t )] = ∫ f (t )e − st dt = F ( s )
−∞
with the complex variable s = σ+jω.
An important property of the Laplace transform in
differential equations is that the derivative in the time
domain corresponds to a multiplication with s in the
Laplace domain d f (t ) ⇔ sF ( s) .
dt
For the RC-filter we obtain
RCsY(s) + Y(s) – X(s) = 0
with Y(s) and X(s) being the Laplace transforms of
Y(t) and X(t), respectively.
 Definition: the transfer function T(s) is defined as
the Laplace transform of the output signal divided
by the Laplace Transfer of the input.
Y ( s) 1 1
T ( s) = = =
X ( s ) 1 + sRC 1 + sτ
If we set s=jω we obtain the frequency response
function.
Note: T(s) grows to infinity for s = -1/τ → T(s)
has a pole at this location sρ. The existence and the
position of the pole at s = sρ = -1/τ are sufficient to
describe most of the properties of the transfer
function.
The Impulse Response Function
The Dirac delta function δ(t) is defined by
+∞

∫
−∞
f (t )δ (t − τ )dt = f (τ )
(The convolution of a function with the delta function
yields the original function.)
Note: δ(t) is not a function in the usual sense and
does not exist other than in the context of the
convolution integral, it is best described as a pulse of
infinitesimal duration, height, and unit area.
+∞

∫ δ (t )dt = 1
−∞
 The Dirac delta function is the derivative of the
unit step function: d
δ (t ) = u (t )
dt
The δ(t) has the important property that both the
Fourier transform and Laplace transform give:
+∞
F [δ (t ) ] = ∫ δ (t ) e −2 jπ ft
dt = 1
−∞
+∞
L [δ (t ) ] = ∫ δ (t ) e − st
dt = 1
−∞
⇒The impulse response function is defined as a
response of a filter to an impulsive (delta function)
input signal.
⇒And, the transfer function T(s) is the Laplace
transform of the impulse response function.
Condition for Stability
The physically realizable impulse response of the RC
filter  1  ( − 1τ )t
h(t ) =   e u (t )
τ 
has an exponential time dependence with the exponent
(-1/τ ) being exactly the location of the pole (sρ ) of the
transfer function (as long as the pole is located in the left
side of the complex s-plane), the impulse response will
decay exponentially with time. However, if the pole is
located in the right half-plane, the impulse response will
become unstable (growth!!).
For a causal system to be stable, all poles of the
transfer function must be located within the left of the
complex s-plane.
The frequency response function
1 1 
T ( jω ) =  1 
τ  τ + jω 
1
with τ=RC, T ( jω ) = .
1+ ω τ2 2

Define ωc = |-1/τ|, the corner frequency distance of

the pole position from the origin of the s-plane.
1
T ( jω ) =
1 + ω 2 / ωc2
As ω → 0, |T(jω)|→1 = constant;
at ωc, T ( jω ) = 1/ 2 ;
for ω>> ωc, |T(jω)|≈ ωc/ω.
 Slope from amplitude ration A(ω1) and A(ω2) at
frequencies ω1 and ω2:
log10 A(ω2 ) − log10 A(ω2 ) log10 ( A(ω2 ) / A(ω1 ))
=
log10 ω2 − log10 ω2 log10 (ω2 / ω1 )

with amplitude ratio expressed in dB (20log10(amplitude

ratio)), the slope becomes:
20log10(A(ω2)/A(ω1))/log10(ω2/ω1)
 For example:
|T(jω)|≈ ω-1: Over a full decade (ω2=10ω1), the
amplitude decade by a factor of 10, thus
slopedB/dec= 20 log10(0.1) / log10(10)
= -20 [dB/decade].
And for an octave (ω2=2ω1),
slope = -6 [dB/octave].
A single pole in the transfer function causes
the slope of the amplitude portion of the
frequency response function in a log-log plot to
decrease by 20 dB/decade or 6 dB/octave, for
frequencies larger than the corner frequency.
 Review of RC-filter
• RC-filter as an example for a linear, time variant system
• Concept of the frequency response function (FRF) as
the Fourier transform of the output signal divided by the
F.T. of the input signal.
• Knowing the FRF, we can calculate the output of the
filter to arbitrary input signal by multiplying the F.T. of
the input signal with the FRF.
• The FRF is the F.T. of the impulse response. Knowing
the impulse response function, we can calculate the
output of the filter to arbitrary input signals by
convolving the input signal with the impulse function.