ECE1004 Signals and Systems

Fall Semester 16-17

Module 3: Fourier Transform of CT Signals Faculty: Dr. R. Neelakandan

Key Points

Note
• The material is NOT SUFFICIENT for examination.
• This contains only the key points and summary of the lectures.
• This material is COMPLEMENTARY WITH the class notes.

• This material does not contain the problems solved in the class.
• Practice Set problems at the end of each material is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TO GET
A (JUST) PASS IN THE COURSE.

1 Topics
1. Fourier Transform (FT)
2. Simple Examples
3. Properties of Fourier Transform

4. Problems based on FT properties

5. Evaluation of complicated integrals using properties

2 Fourier Transform Pair

The Fourier series expansion can be applied only to periodic signals. Fourier transform can be applied
to both periodic and aperiodic signals. First the concept of Fourier transform for aperiodic signals is
discussed. Later the Fourier transform will be applied to periodic signals and the relation between the
Fourier transform and Fourier series of a periodic signals will be explored. The Fourier transform (FT)
and inverse FT (IFT) pair is given below.
Z ∞
X(f ) = x(t)e−j2πf t dt (1)
−∞
Z ∞
x(t) = X(f )ej2πf t df (2)
−∞

3 Examples
Example 1
Find the FT of the signal x(t) = e−at u(t).

1
Solution
Z ∞
X(f ) = x(t)e−j2πf t dt (3)
−∞
Z ∞
= e−at e−j2πf t dt (4)
0
Z ∞
= e−(a+j2πf )t dt (5)
0
∞
e−(a+j2πf )t 
= (6)
−(a + j2πf ) 0
1
= (7)
a + j2πf
1
|X(f )| = p (8)
a + (2πf )2
2

2πf
θ(f ) = −tan−1 (9)
a

Example 2
Find the FT of the signal x(t) = e−a|t| .

Solution
Given signal can be written as:
eat

t<0
x(t) = (10)
e−at t≥0

It should be noted that how to represent mathematically the |t| function.


−t t<0
|t| = (11)
t t≥0

because for positive number the absolute value |.| is the same number. For negative numbers it is
multiplied again by 0 −0 to make it positive.
Z ∞
X(f ) = x(t)e−j2πf t dt (12)
−∞
Z 0 Z ∞
at −j2πf t
= e e dt + e−at e−j2πf t dt (13)
−∞ 0
Z ∞ Z ∞
= e (a−j2πf )t
dt + e−(a+j2πf )t dt (14)
0 0
0 ∞
e(a−j2πf )t  e−(a+j2πf )t 
= + (15)
a − j2πf −∞ −(a + j2πf ) 0
1 1
= + (16)
a − j2πf a + j2πf
2a
= 2 (17)
a + (2πf )2
2a
|X(f )| = 2 (18)
a + (2πf )2
θ(f ) = 0 (19)

Example 3
Find the FT of the signal x(t) = u(t).

2
Solution
Z ∞
X(f ) = x(t)e−j2πf t dt (20)
−∞
Z ∞
= e−j2πf t dt (21)
0
Z ∞
= e−(j2πf )t dt (22)
0
∞
e−(j2πf )t 
= (23)
−j2πf  0
1
= (24)
j2πf
(25)

Example 4
Find the FT of the signal x(t) = δ(t).

Solution
Z ∞
X(f ) = x(t)e−j2πf t dt (26)
−∞
Z ∞
= δ(t)e−j2πf t dt (27)
−∞
Z ∞
δ(t − t0 )x(t)dt = x(t0 ) (28)
−∞
X(f ) = e−j2π.f.0 = 1 (29)
|X(f )| = 1 (30)
θ(f ) = 0 (31)

Example 5
Find the FT of the signal x(t) = Arect( Tt ).

Solution
Given signal can be written as:

− T2 ≤ t ≤ T

t 1 2
rect( ) = (32)
T 0 else

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 Figure 1: Rectangular Pulse

Z ∞
X(f ) = x(t)e−j2πf t dt (33)
−∞
Z T
2
= Ae−j2πf t dt (34)
− T2
T
e−j2πf t  2
=A (35)
−j2πf − T
2

e−j2πf T − ej2πf T
=A (36)
−j2πf
ej2πf T − e−j2πf T
=A (37)
j2πf
sin(πf T )
=A (38)
πf
sin(πf T )
= AT (39)
πf T
= AT sinc(f T ) (40)
X(f ) = AT sinc(f T ) (41)
|X(f )| = AT sinc(f T ) (42)
θ(f ) = 0 (43)

See in the class notes how to plot sinc functions. Important for examination.

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Example 6
The FT of Triangular pulse is given below.
NO NEED FOR DERIVATION. JUST REMEMBER THE TRANSFORM PAIR.

Figure 2: Triangular pulse

1

t 1+ T t −T ≤ t ≤ 0
x(t) = tri( ) = 1 (44)
T 1− T t 0≤t≤T
Note the difference that rect( Tt ) has a duration T and tri( Tt ) has a duration 2T . The corresponding
FT is given by
X(f ) = T 2 sinc2 (f T ) (45)

4 Arbitrary Rectangular and Triangular Pulses

The rect(t) and tri(t) functions define the rectangular and triangular pulses centered around origin
with duration 1 and 2 respectively. However, there may be cases where the rectangular and triangular
pulses appear at arbitrary locations and widths as shown in Fig. 3. The following technique provides
a standard way of representing any rectangular and triangular pulses in terms of shifted and scaled
versions of rect(t) and tri(t).

Figure 3: Rectangular and Triangular pulses with arbitrary location and width

• Any arbitrary rectangular pulse from a to b can be represented in terms of rect(αt + β) where
1
α= (46)
b−a
a+b
β= (47)
2(a − b)

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 • Any arbitrary triangular pulse from a to b can be represented in terms of tri(αt + β) where

2
α= (48)
b−a
a+b
β= (49)
a−b

For example, consider the pulses shown in Fig. 4. For rectangular pulse, a = 2, b = 6 and therefore

Figure 4: Rectangular and Triangular pulses with arbitrary location and width

α = 14 , β = −8
8
= −1. The pulse can be written as rect( 4t − 1). (Cross check by drawing the pulse).
2
Similarly for triangular pulse, a = 10, b = 20 and therefore α = 10 = 15 , β = −10
30
= −3. The pulse
1
can be written as tri( 5 t − 3).

5 Properties of Fourier Transform

Table 1: Summary of FT properties

Property x(t) X(f )

Time Shift x(t + β) ej2πf β X(f )

1 f
Time Scale x(αt) |α| X( α )
β
Shiting and Scaling x(αt + β) 1 j2πf α
|α| e X( αf )
dx(t)
Differentiation dt j2πf X(f )
1
Modulation Property cos(2πf0 t)x(t) 2 [X(f + f0 ) + X(f − f0 )]
Duality X(t) x(−f )

5.1 Additional Important Properties

1. Area under x(t) is equal to X(f ) at f = 0.
Z ∞
x(t)dt = X(0) (50)
−∞

2. Energy of signal: Parseval’s Relation for FT

Z ∞ Z ∞
|x(t)|2 dt = |X(f )|2 df (51)
−∞ −∞

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6 Duality Pairs
F
rect(t) → sinc(f ) (52)
F
sinc(t) → rect(f ) (53)
F
tri(t) → sinc2 (f ) (54)
F
sinc2 (t) → tri(f ) (55)
(56)

7 Problems based on Properties of FT

Example 1
Find the Fourier transform of the signals shown in Fig. 5.

Figure 5: Doublet pulse

Solution
As shown in right hand side of Fig. 5, the given pulse can be written in two ways. Let us find the FT
of the pulse using both the ways.
Method 1:

1 1
x(t) = rect(t + ) − rect(t − ) (57)
2 2
1 1
X(f ) = ej2π.f. 2 sinc(f ) − e−j2π.f. 2 sinc(f ) (58)
jπ.f −jπ.f
=e sinc(f ) − e sinc(f ) (59)
jπf −jπf
= sinc(f )[e −e ] (60)
= sinc(f )2jsin(πf ) (61)
sin(πf )
= sinc(f )2j.πf (62)
πf
X(f ) = j2πf sinc2 (f ) (63)

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Method 2:
Alternatively, we can use the differentiation property to find the FT of the given pulse.

F(tri(t)) = sinc2 (f ) (64)

d
x(t) = (tri(t)) (65)
dt
d
X(f ) = F( tri(t)) = j2πf F(tri(t)) = j2πf sinc2 (f ) (66)
dt

Example 2
Find the Fourier transform of the signals shown in Fig. 7.

Solution
As shown in right hand side of Fig. 7, the given pulse can be written as sum of arbitrary rectangular
pulse and triangular pulse.
t 1
x(t) = rect( − ) + tri(2t − 3) (67)
3 2
1 f
X(f ) = 3e−j3πf sinc(3f ) + e−j3πf sinc2 ( ) (68)
2 2

Example 3
Find the Fourier transform of the signal cos(πt)sinc(t).
Solution:

Let x(t) = sinc(t) (69)

X(f ) = rect(f ) (70)
1
F(cos(2πf0 t)x(t)) = [X(f + f0 ) + X(f − f0 )] (71)
2  
1 1 1 1
F(cos(πt)x(t)) = F(cos(πt)sinc(t)) = rect(f + ) + rect(f − ) , here f0 = (72)
2 2 2 2

The resulting FT is given in Fig. 6.

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 Figure 6: FT of cos(πt)sinc(t)

Example 4
Evaluate the following integrals.
R∞
1. −∞ sinc(t)dt
R∞
2. −∞ sinc2 (t)
Solution:
R∞
1. −∞ sinc(t)dt
Z ∞
x(t)dt = X(0) (73)
−∞
Z ∞
sinc(t)dt = 1 → value of rect(f) at f=0 (74)
−∞

R∞
2. −∞
sinc2 (t)
Z ∞
x(t)dt = X(0) (75)
−∞
Z ∞
sinc2 (t)dt = 1 → value of tri(f) at f=0 (76)
−∞

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8 Practice Set
8.1 Exercise on Graphical FT
Find the Fourier Transform of each of the pulse shown in Fig. 7.

Figure 7: Signals for Graphical FT

8.2 FT by Properties
Find and plot the Fourier transform of the following signals.
1. cos(2πt)sinc(2t)

2. cos(2πt)sinc2 (t)

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