Exponential Fourier Series or Periodic Signal

Representation by Exponential Fourier Series

A sinusoidal signal of angular frequency nωo can be expressed in

terms of exponential signals ejnωоt and e-jnωоt , a periodic signal g(t) with
a period To can also be represented by a series consisting of
exponential componentsj0 t as j 2 0 t jn0 t
g (t )  D0  D1e  D2 e    Dn e 
 D1e  j0t  D 2 e  j 20t    D n e  jn0t  


g (t )  asDn e jn0t
It can be summarized (t 0  t  t 0  To )
n  

1
The coefficient Dn in this series can be obtained by multiplying both
sides by e-jmωоt & integrating over one cycle (t0 , to+ To)

t 0 To  t 0 To
t0
g (t )e  jm 0 t
dt  
n  
Dn 
t0
e j ( n  m )0t dt

In evaluating integrals on right hand side in the above equation, we

use the results

t0 To T0 if m  n

j ( n  m ) 0 t
e dt  
t0
0 if m  n

If n = m, then integral I will be

t0 T0 t0 T0
I  e dt  
0
1 dt  t0  T0  t0  T0
t0 t0

2
If n  m, then I will be

t 0  2 /  0 1 t 0  2 /  0
I  e j ( n  m ) 0 t
dt  e j ( n  m )0t
t0 j (n  m)0 t0

I
1
j (n  m)0

e j ( n  m )  0 ( t 0  2 /  0 )  e j ( n  m )  0 t 0 
I 
1
j ( n  m) 0

e j ( n  m ) 0t 0  j ( n  m ) 2  e j ( n  m ) 0t 0 
1
I  e j ( n  m ) 0 t 0 [e j 2 ( n  m )  1]
j ( n  m) 0

e j2(n-m) can be evaluated as follows

j 2 ( n  m )
e  cos 2 (n  m)  j sin 2 (n  m)  1  0  1

3
 1
I  e j ( nm )0t0 [1  1]  0
j (n  m) 0
By substituting these results, we obtain
t 0  To

 jm 0 t
Dm  1
T0
g (t )e dt
t0

In conclusion, a periodic waveform g(t) with a period T0 can be expressed by an

exponential Fourier series

g (t )   n
D e
n  
jn0t
(t 0  t  t 0  To )

The coefficients Dn are complex in general & are given by

t 0  To
Dn  1
T0 t0
g (t )e  jn0t dt
4
Trigonometric and Exponential Fourier
Series Coefficients
Exponential and trigonometric Fourier series are in fact the same
series but with two different ways of representation.
Coefficient of one series can be obtained from the other.
We can prove the following relations
a0 = D0
we have
1 ( t 0 To )
a0 
To 
t0
g (t ) dt

Now we put n=0 in Eq: Dn

1 t0 To 1 t0 To
D0   g (t )e dt   g (t )dt
0

To t0 To t0
As we can see right hand sides of above Eq are equal, hence

a0 = D0 5
 an = Dn + D-n
 we have
1 t 0 To

 jn0t
Dn  g (t )e dt
To t0

 if we put n = -n

1 t 0 To
D n 
To  t0
g (t )e jn0t dt

To prove we take the right hand side

1 t 0 To 1 t 0 To
 
 jn0t jn0t
D n  D n  g (t )e dt  g (t )e dt
To t0 To t0

6
 Dn  D  n 
1
To t0
t 0 To

g (t ) e  jn0t  e jn0t dt 

1 t0 To
Dn  Dn   g (t ) cos n 0 t  j sin n 0 t  cos n 0 t  j sin n 0 t  dt
To t0

2 t 0 To
Dn  D  n 
To  t0
g (t ) cos n 0 tdt

By comparing the right hand side of above equation with eq of a n

it is proved that
an = Dn + D-n 7
 bn = j ( Dn - D-n )
 we have

1 t 0 To 1 t 0 To 
 
 jn0t jn0t
j ( Dn  D n )  j  g (t )e dt  g (t )e dt 
 To t0 To t0

1
j ( Dn  D n )  j  
t 0 To

g (t ) e  jn0t
e jn0t
 
dt 
 To t0

 1 t0 To 
 j   g (t ) cos n0t  j sin n0t  cos n0t  j sin n0t  dt 
 To t0 

2 j t0 To 2 t 0 To
j ( Dn  D n )  
To 0t
 jg (t ) sin n0tdt 
To t0
g (t ) sin n0tdt

 By comparing the right hand side of the above Eq: with bn, the required
relation is proved.
8
 Dn =1/2( an – jbn )
1 t 0 To

 jn0t
Dn  g (t )e dt
To t0

a n  jbn 
2
To
 ( t 0 To )

t0
g (t ) cos n 0 t dt  j 
( t 0 To )

t0
g (t ) sin n 0 t dt 
a n  jbn 
2
To

t0
( t0 To )

To t0

2 (t0 To )
g (t ) cos n 0 t  j sin n 0 t  dt   g (t )e  jn0t dt

By comparing the right hand sides of the above Equation and
Eq: of Dn the required relation is proved.

1 ( t 0 T 0 )
1
2
 an  jbn    g (t )e  jn0t dt
To t0

9
For real g(t), an & bn are real numbers and coefficients Dn
&
D-n are conjugates.
D-n = D*n
Thus
Dn= |Dn| ejθn
D-n= |Dn| e-jθn
For example, a signal cos nωot can be represented as (Euler
s’ formula)
cos nωot = 1/2(ejnωоt + e-jnωоt )

g  t   D Fourier
 D series
 jn ot   jn ot
The exponential 0
n 1
e n
 Dbeeexpressed as
can n


gt   D 0
 2 D n cos(n 0
t  n)
n 1
10
Conclusion
Comparison of the above equation with compact
trigonometric Fourier series. We conclude
C0=D0
Cn=2|Dn| = |Dn| + |D-n|


 De
jnot
g (t )  D 0

n   ( n  0 )
n

Such type of signals which are extended from -∞ to ∞

are called eternal signal.

11
Periodic Function Representation In (-∞, ∞)
 we have

g (t )   n
D e
n  
jn 0 t
(t 0  t  t 0  To )

 This is true over the interval (t0 < t < t0 + T0). The two sides need not be
equal outside this interval. Although it can be proved that the right hand
side of the equation is periodic, i.e.
jn 0 t jn 0 ( t  T )
e = e
We take the right hand side of the equation 2
jn 0 ( t T ) jn 0 t jn 0T jn 0 t jn 0 
e e e e e 0
 e jn 0t e jn 2
where T  2
0

 e jn 0 t (cos 2 n  j sin 2 n )

 e jn 0 t (1  0)  e jn 0t

So this proves the periodicity of the right hand side.

12
Gate function or Rectangle
function
The rectangular function is a function that is zero
outside the interval [-1/2, 1/2] and unity inside it. It is
also called the gate function, pulse function or
window function.

13
Example
 Expand the periodic gate function shown in the figure below by the
exponential Fourier series and plot the frequency spectrum.

ƒ(t)
A

-/2 -/2 /2 /2

T T

 The gate function has a width δ and repeats every T seconds. The
function may be described analytically over one period as follows:

A (-δ/2<t<δ/2)
g(t) =

0 (δ/2<t<T-δ/2)

14
 For convenience we shall choose as the limits of integration –δ/2 to (T-δ/2).

1 T  / 2 1  / 2  jnot 1 T  / 2
Dn   g (t )e  jno t
dt   Ae   0.
T   / 2 T  / 2 T  / 2

1  / 2  jnot  A  jn t  / 2
Dn   Ae dt  e o

T   / 2 jnoT  / 2

2 A (e jno / 2  e  jno / 2 )
Dn 
n o T 2j e jx  e  jx
Sinx 
2A 2j
Dn  sin  n o / 2 
n o T x  no / 2
A  sin  n o / 2 
Dn   
T  n o  / 2 
The function in the bracket has a form (sin x)/x. This function plays an
important role in communication theory and is known as the sampling
function, abbreviated by Sa(x).
Sa(x) = sinx / x 15
The sampling function is shown in figure below. Note that the
function oscillates with a period 2π, with decaying amplitude in
either direction of x, and has zeros at x = ±π,±2π,±3π,….,etc.

16
 A
Therefore Dn  Sa(n o / 2)
T
But
2 and no n
o  
T 2 T

A  n 
Hence Dn  Sa 
T  T 

and g (t )   n
D e
n  
jno t

A 
 n  jnot
Therefore g (t ) 
T

n  
Sa
 T 
e 18

17
 It is evident from Equation 18 that Dn is real, and hence we need
only one spectrum for frequency domain representation. Also, since
Sa(x) is an even function, it is obvious from Eq. that Dn = D-n

 The fundamental frequency ωο =2π/T. The frequency spectrum is a

discrete function and exists only at ω = 0, ±2π/T, ±4π/T, ±6π/T,
…..,etc. respectively.

 We shall consider the spectrum for some specific values of δ and T.

 The pulse width δ will be taken as 1/20 second, and the period T
will be chosen as ¼ second, ½ second and 1 second, successively.

18
For δ = 1/20 and T =1/4 second, Eq: 18 is given by
A  n 
Dn  Sa 
5  5 

 The fundamental frequency ωο = 2π/T = 8π. Thus the

spectrum exists at ω = 0, ±8π, ±16π,….,etc, and is

shown in Fig. 2.4(a) on the next slide.

 For δ = 1/20 and T =1/2 second, Eq:18 is given by

A  n 
Dn  Sa 
10  10 
 The spectrum is shown in Figure: 2.4(b) and exists at
frequencies ω = 0, ±4π, ±8π,….,etc,
19
For δ = 1/20 and T =1 second, Eq:18 is given by

A  n 
Dn  Sa 
20  20 
The spectrum exists at ω = 0, ±2π, ±4π,….,etc, and is shown in
Fig. 2.4(c).
It is evident that as the period T becomes larger and larger, the
fundamental frequency 2π/T becomes smaller and smaller, and
hence there are more and more frequency components in a
given range of frequency. The spectrum therefore becomes
denser as the period T becomes larger.

20
Fig. 2.4
21