Kombolcha Institute of Technology

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Chapter Four:-Laplace Transform

Jemal H. ( Msc )
jjemalassen@gmail.com

May, 2023

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 Contents
4.1 Introduction.
4.2 The Laplace Transform.
4.3 The Unilateral Transform and Properties.
4.4 Inversion of the Unilateral.
4.5 Solving Differential Equation with Initial Conditions.
4.6 Forced and Natural Responses in Unilateral Laplace
Transform.
4.7 Properties of the Bilateral Laplace Transform
4.8 Inversion of the Bilateral Laplace Transform.
4.9 The Transfer Function
4.10 Causality and Stability

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 4.1 Introduction.

 In this chapter we are considering the continuous-time signal and

system representation based on complex exponential signals.
 The Laplace transform can be used to analyze a large class of
continuous-time problems involving signal that are not absolutely
integrable, such as impulse response of an unstable system.
 Laplace transform comes in two varieties;
(i) Unilateral (one sided); is a tool for solving differential equations
with initial condition.

(ii) Bilateral (two sided); offers insight into the nature of system
characteristic such as stability, causality, and frequency response.

3
 4.2 Laplace Transform.
 Let est be a complex exponential with complex frequency
s = s +jw. We may write,

e st  e s t cos w t   je s t sin w t .

 The real part of est is an exponential damped cosine

 And the imaginary part is an exponential damped sine as shown
in Figure 6.1.
 The real part of s is the exponential damping factor s.
 And the imaginary part of s is the frequency of the cosine and
sine factor, w.

4
 Cont’d…

Figure 4.1: Real and imaginary parts of the complex

exponential est, where s = s + jw.

5
4.2.1 Eigen Function Property of est.
 Apply an input to the form x(t) =est to an LTI system with impulse
response h(t). The system output is given by,
Derivation:
y t   H x t 
 ht * x t 

  h xt   d

 We use the input, x(t) =est to obtain

the output, y(t) as: y t    h e s t  d


 e st  h e  s d



 Thus, transfer function is: H s    h  e  s
d
6

Cont’d…
 We can write
 
y t   H  e st   H s e st
 

 An eigen function is a signal that passes through the system

without being modified except by multiplication by scalar.

 The equation below indicates that,

- est is the eigenfunction of the LTI system.
- H(s) is the eigen value.

 The transfer function expressed in terms of magnitude and phase;

H s   H s  e j s 

7
 Cont’d…

Express complex-value transfer function in Rectangular Form

 Where |H(s)| and (s) are the magnitude and phase of H(s)

The output;
y t   H s  e j  s e st
substitute
s  s  jw
y t   H s  jw  est e jwt  (s  jw )
 H s  jw  est coswt   s  jw   j H s  jw  est sinwt   s  jw .

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 4.2.2 Laplace Transform Representation.

 H(s) is the Laplace Transform of h(t) and.. thus the h(t) is the
inverse Laplace transform of H(s).
 The Laplace transform of x(t) is

X s  


x t e  st dt

 The Inverse Laplace Transform of X(s) is

s  j


1
x t   X ( s ) e st ds
2 j
s j

 We can express the relationship with the notation

L
x t      X s 
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 4.2.3 Convergence.
 The condition for convergence of the Laplace transform is the
absolute integrability of x(t)e-at ,


 xt e st dt  


 The range of s for which the Laplace transform converges is

termed the region of convergence (ROC)

Figure 4.2: The Laplace transform applies to more general signals than the Fourier
transform does. (a) Signal for which the Fourier transform does not exist.
(b) Attenuating factor associated with Laplace transform. 10
(c) The modified signal x(t)e -st is absolutely integrable for s > 1.
 4.2.4 The s-Plane.

 It is convenience to represent the complex frequency s graphically in

terms of the s-plane.
(i) the horizontal axis represents the real part of s
(exponential damping factor s).

(ii) The vertical axis represents the imaginary part of s (sinusoidal

frequency w)

X  jw   X s  | s  0

 In s-plane, s =0 correspond to imaginary axis.

 Fourier transfrom is given by the Laplace transform evaluated along
the imaginary axis.

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 Cont’d…
 The jw-axis divides the s-plane in half.
(i) The region to the left of the jw-axis is termed the left half of
the s-plane.
(ii) The region to the right of the jw-axis is termed the right half
of the s-plane.
 The real part of s is negative in the left half of the s-plane and
positive in the right half of the s -plane..

Figure 4.3: The s-plane. The horizontal axis is Re{s}and the vertical axis is
Im{s}. Zeros are depicted at s = –1 and s = –4  2j, and poles are depicted
12
at s = –3, s = 2  3j, and s = 4.
 4.2.5 Poles and Zeros.
 Zeros. The ck are the root of the numerator polynomial and are termed
the zeros of X(s). Location of zeros are denoted as “o”.
 Poles. The dk are the root of the denominator polynomial and are
termed the poles of X(s). Location of poles are denoted as “x”.
 The Laplace transform does not uniquely correspond to a signal x(t) if the
ROC is not specified.
 Two different signal may have identical Laplace Transform, but different
ROC. Below is the example.

Figure 4.4a Figure 4.4b

Figure 4.4a. The ROC for x(t) = eatu(t) is depicted by the shaded region. A pole is located
at s = a.
Figure 4.4b. The ROC for y(t) = –eatu(–t) is depicted by the shaded region. A pole is
located at s = a. 13
Example 4.1: Laplace Transform of a Causal Exponential
Signal.
Determine the Laplace transform of x(t)=eatu(t).
Solution:
Step 1: Find the Laplace transform.

X s    x t e  st
dt


  e  ( s  a ) t dt
0

 1 ( sa )t
 e
sa 0

To evaluate e-(s-a)t, Substitute s=s + jw


1
X s   e (s  jw a ) t
s  jw  a 0 14
Cont’d…
If s > 0, then e-(s-a)t goes to zero as t approach infinity, while as t is
zero, e-(s-a)t goes to minus one, hence
1
X s   ( 0  1), s a
s  jw  a
1
 , Re( s )  a .
sa
*The Laplace transform does not exist for s=<a because the
integral does not converge.
*The ROC is at s>a, the shaded region of the s-plane in figure
below. The pole is at s=a.

Figure 4.5: The ROC for x(t) = eatu(t) is depicted by the shaded region.
A pole is located at s = a. 15
4.3 The Unilateral Laplace Transform and Properties.
 The Unilateral Laplace Transform of a signal x(t) is defined by

X s  
 
x t e  st dt

 The lower limit of 0 implies that we do include discontinuities and

impulses that occur at t = 0 in the integral. H(s) depends on x(t)for
t >= 0.
 The relationship between X(s) and x(t) as

Lu
x t      X s 

 The unilateral and bilateral Laplace transforms are equivalent for

signals that are zero for time t<0.
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 Cont’d…
Properties of Unilateral Laplace Transform.
Scaling
L 1  s 
x at  
u  X  
a  a 

Linearity,
Lu
axt   byt 
aX s  bYs

For a>0
Time Shift
Lu
 e  s X s 
x t   

for all t such that x(t - )u(t) = x(t - )u(t - )

 A shift in  in time correspond to multiplication of the Laplace
transform by the complex exponential e-s.
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 Cont’d…
s-Domain Shift

e xt   X s  s0 
s0 t Lu

 Multiplication by a complex exponential in time

introduces a shift in complex frequency s into the Laplace
transform.

Figure 4.6: Time shifts for which the unilateral Laplace transform time-shift
property does not apply. (a) A nonzero portion of x(t) that occurs at times t
 0 is shifted to times t < 0. (b) A nonzero portion x(t) that occurs at times t
< 0 is shifted to times t  0. 18
 Cont’d…
Convolution.

Lu
x t  * y t     X s Y s .

 Convolution in time domain corresponds to multiplication of

Laplace transform. This property apply when x(t)=0 and y(t)
= 0 for t < 0.

Differentiation in the s-Domain.

Lu d
 tx t    X s .
ds

 Differentiation in the s-domain corresponds to multiplication

by -t in the time domain.
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 Cont’d…
Differentiation in the Time Domain.

d
dt
xt sXs  x 0
Lu 
 
Initial and Final Value Theorem.

  
Lim sX s   x  0  .
s   

 The initial value theorem allow us to determine the initial value,

x(0-), and the final value, x(infinity, of x(t) directly from X(s).
 The initial value theorem does NOT apply to rational
functions X(s) in which the order of the numerator polynomial is
greater than or equal to that of the denominator polynomial.
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Example 4.2: Applying Properties.
Find the unilateral Laplace Transform of x(t)=(-e3tu(t))*(tu(t)).
Solution:
Find the Unilateral Laplace Transform.

1
 e u (t ) 
3t Lu

( s  3)
And 1
Apply s-domain differentiation property,
u (t )  Lu

s
1
Use the convolution property, tu(t )  2
Lu

s
 1
x (t )  (e 3t
u ( t ) * ( tu ( t ))    X ( s ) 
Lu
1 s 2
( s 213 )
4.4 Inversion of the Unilateral Laplace Transform.

 We can determine the inverse Laplace transforms using one-to-

one relationship between the signal and its unilateral Laplace
transform.
Appendix D1 consists of the table of Laplace Transform.
 X(s) is the sum of simple terms,
~ Ak
 k 1 s  d
N
X (s) 
k
 Using the residue method, solve for a system linear equation.
Ak
Ak e u t  
dkt Lu

s  dk
 Then sum the Inverse Laplace transform of each term.
Atn1 dkt A
e ut  
Lu
.
n 1! s  dk n
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Example 4.3: Inversion by Partial-Fraction Expansion.
Find the Inverse Laplace Transform of
3s  4
X s  
( s  1)( s  2) 2
Solution:
Step 1: Use the partial fraction expansion of X(s) to write

A B C
X s    
( s  1) ( s  2) ( s  2) 2
Solving the A, B and C by the method of residues

(3 s  4 ) A( s  2 ) 2 B ( s  1)( s  2) C ( s  1)
  
( s  1)( s  2) 2
( s  1)( s  2) 2
( s  2) ( s  1) ( s  2) 2 ( s  1)
2

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Cont’d…
( 3 s  4 )  A ( s  2 ) 2  B ( s  2 )( s  1 )  C ( s  1 )
 A ( s 2  4 s  4 )  B ( s 2  3 s  2 )  C ( s  1)
 ( A  B )s 2  (4 A  3B  C )s  (4 A  2 B  C )
so , compare coefficien t,
A  B  0        (1 )
4 A  3B  C  3      (2)
4 A  2 B  C  4      (3)
( 3 )  ( 2 );
 B 1
B  1.
From (1 )
A  B  0
A 1
Substitute B and A , int o ( 2 )
4 (1 )  3 (  1 )  C  3
C  2. 24
 Cont’d…
1 1 2
X s    
A=1, B=-1 and C=2 ( s  1) ( s  2) ( s  2) 2
Step 2: Construct the Inverse Laplace transform from the above
partial-fraction term above.
- The pole of the 1st term is at s = -1, so
t 1
e u (t )  Lu

( s  1)
- The pole of the 2nd term is at s = -2, so
 2t 1
e u (t )  Lu

( s  2)
-The double pole of the 3rd term is at s = -2, so
2
2te  2t u (t ) 
Lu

( s  2) 2
Step 3: Combining the terms.
t 2 t 2 t
x(t )  e u (t )  e u (t )  2te u (t ). 25

.
Example 4.4: Inversion An Improper Rational Laplace
Transform.
2 s 3  9s 2  4s  10
Find the Inverse Laplace Transform of X s  
s 2  3s  4
Solution:
Step 1: Use the long division to exspress X(s) as sum of rational
polynomial function.
2 s  3 __________
s 2  3 s  4 2 s 3  9 s 2  4 s  10
2s 3  6s 2  8s
 3 s 2  12 s  10
 3 s 2  9 s  12
3s  2
We can write,
3s  2
X s   2 s  3  2
s  3s  4 26
 Cont’d…
Use partial fraction to expand the rational function,

1 2
X s   2 s  3  
s 1 s  4

Step 2: Construct the Inverse Laplace transform from the above

partial-fraction term above. Refer to the Laplace transform Table.

x(t )  2 (1)
(t )  3 (t )  e u (t )  2e u (t ).
t 4t

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4.5 Solving Differential Equation with Initial Condition.

 Primary application of unilateral Laplace transform in system

analysis, solving differential equations with nonzero initial
condition.
 Refer to the example.

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Example 4.5: RC Circuit Analysis (Initial condition)
Use the Laplace transform to find the voltage across the capacitor , y(t),
for the RC circuit shown in Figure 4.7 in response to the applied voltage
x(t)=(3/5)e-2tu(t) and the initial condition y(0-) = -2.
Solution: Figure 4.7: RC circuit for
Examples 6.4 and 6.10. Note
that RC = 1/5.
Step 1: Derive differential equation from the circuit.
KVL around the loop.  d
x t   R  C

y t   y t   0
 dt 
 d 
RC y t   y t   x t  divide by RC
 dt 
d 1 1
y t   y t   x t         (1)
dt RC RC
where RC  1 K  * 200 mF  0 . 2 s
substitute into (1),
d
y t   5 y t   5 x t  29
dt
 Cont’d…
Step 2: Get the unilateral Laplace Transform.
Apply the properties of differential in time domain,
d
dt
x t  
Lu
sX s   x 0   
sY ( s )  y ( 0  )  5Y ( s )  5 X ( s )
Rearrange the equation in terms of Y ( s );

Y (s) 
1
s5

5 X ( s )  y (0  )         ( 2)

Step 3: Substitute Unilateral Laplace Transform of x(t) into Y(s).

Laplace transform of the 3e 2 t u (t )
x (t ) 
applied voltage, x(t); 5
3 1 
x (t )  X ( s )  
Lu
      (3)
Given initial condition, 5s2
substitute y(0-)=-2 into (2), 3 2
And substitute (3) into (2), Y ( s )  
( s  2 )( s  5 ) ( s  5 ) 30
 Cont’d…
Step 4: Expand Y(s) into partial fraction.

1 1 2
Y ( s)   
s2 s5 s5
1 3
Y ( s)  
s2 s5

Step 5: Take Inverse Unilateral Laplace Transform of Y(s).

y ( t )  e  2 t u ( t )  3 e  5 t u ( t ).

by referring to the Laplace transform table.

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 QUIZ 1

Use the basic Laplace transforms & Laplace transform properties to

determine the following signals:

a) x(t )  tu (t ) * cos(2t )u (t )
2 t
b) x(t )  u (t  1) * e u (t  1)
c)
x(t )  t
dt

d t
e cos(t )u (t ) 

32
 QUIZ 2
Use the method of partial fractions to find the time signals corresponding
to the following Laplace transforms:

s3
 a) X (s)  2
s  3s  2
2s  1
 b) X (s)  2
s  2s  1

 C) 5s  4
X (s)  3
s  3s 2  2 s

33
4.7 Properties of Bilateral Laplace Transform.

 The Bilateral Laplace Transform is suitable to the problems

involving non-causal signals and system.
 The properties of linearity, scaling, s-domain shift, convolution and
differentiation in the s-domain is identical for the bilateral and
unilateral LT, the operations associated by these properties may
change the ROC.
 Example; a linearity property.
xt  
L
X s . with ROC Rx
y t  
L
Y s . with ROC Ry
then
axt   by t  
L
aX s   bY s  with ROC R x  Ry

 ROC of the sum of the signals is an intersection of the individual

ROCs. 34
 Cont’d…

Time Shift
L
 e  s X s 
xt   

 The bilateral Laplace Transform is evaluated over both positive

and negative values of time. ROC is unchanged by a time shift.

Differentiation in the Time Domain.

d
xt   sX s 
L
with ROC at least Rx ,
dt

 Differentiation in time domain corresponds to multiplication

by s.

35
 Cont’d…

Integration with Respect to Time.

X s 
t

 x d  s , R x  Re s   0.

L
with ROC

 Integration corresponds to division by s

 Pole is at s=0, we are integrating to the right, hence the
ROC must lies to the right of s=0.

36
4.8 Inversion of Bilateral Laplace Transform.
 The inversion of Bilateral Laplace transforms are expressed as a
ratio of polynomial in s.
 Compare to the unilateral, in the bilateral Laplace transform we
must use the ROC to determine the unique inverse transform
in bilateral case.

Ak
Ak e u (t ) 
dkt L
, with ROC Re( s )  d k right  sided
s  dk

Ak
 Ak e u (t ) 
dkt
 L
, with ROC Re( s )  d k left - sided
s  dk

37
Example 4.7:
Inverting a Proper Rational Laplace Transform.
Find the Inverse bilateral Laplace Transform of
 5s  7
X s  
With ROC -1<Re(s)<1. ( s  1)( s  1)( s  2)

Solution:
Step 1: Use the partial fraction expansion of X(s) to write
A B C
X s    
( s  1) ( s  1) ( s  2)
Solving the A, B and C by the method of residues

1 2 1
X s    
( s  1) ( s  1) ( s  2)
38
 Cont’d…
Step 2: Construct the Inverse Laplace transform from the above
partial-fraction term above.
- The pole of the 1st term is at s = -1, the ROC lies to the right of this
pole, choose the right-sided inverse Laplace Transform.
t 1
e u (t )  L

( s  1)
- The pole of the 2nd term is at s = 1, the ROC is to the left of the pole,
choose the left-sided inverse Laplace Transform.
2
2e u (t )  
t L

( s  1)
-The pole of the 3rd term is at s = -2, the ROC is to the right of the pole,
choose the right-sided inverse Laplace Transform.
 2t 1
e u (t ) 
 L

( s  2) 39
 Cont’d…
Step 3: Combining the terms.

 Combining this three terms we obtain,

x(t )  e  t u (t )  2e t u (t )  e 2t u (t ).

Figure 4.12 : Poles and ROC for Example 6.17.

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 4.9 Transfer Function.
 The transfer function of an LTI system is defined as the Laplace
transform of the impulse response.
 Take the bilateral Laplace transform of both sides of the equation and
use the convolution properties, it results in;

Y (s)  H (s) X (s)

 Rearrange the above equation will result in the ratio of Laplace
transform of the output signal to the Laplace transform of the
input signal. (Note: X(s) is non-zero)

Y (s)
H (s) 
X (s)
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4.9.1 Transfer Function and Differential-Equation System

Given a differential equation.

N
dk M
dk

k 0
a k k y (t )   bk k x (t )
dt k 0 dt
Step 1: Substitute y(t) = estH(s) into the equation.
y(t) = estH(s), substitute to the above equation result in,
 N d k st 
   
d k st
M
  ak k e  H s    bk k e
 k  0 dt  k 0 dt

Step 2: Solve for H(s). M

H(s) is a ratio of polynomial and  bk s k
s is termed as rational transfer function. H s   k 0
N


k 0
ak s k
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Example 4.8: Find the Transfer Function.
Find the transfer function of the LTI system described by the differential
equation below,
d2 d d
2
y t   3 y t   2 y t   2 xt   3x(t )
Solution: dt dt dt
Step 1: est is an eigenfunction of LTI system. If input, x(t)=est
Then, y(t) = estH(s). Hence, substitute into the equation..

dt 2
 
d 2 st
e H ( s )  3
dt
 
d st
e H ( s )  2 e 
st
H ( s )  2
d st
dt
e   
 3 e st

dt k
 
d k st
e  s k st
e
Step 2: Solve for H(s).
 d 2 st 
 
H ( s ) 2 e  3
d st
   
e  2 e st   2    
d st
e  3 e st
 dt dt  dt 43
 Cont’d…

2    
d st
dt
e  3 e st
H (s) 
 d2 
 2   e 3
st
   
d st
e  2 e st 
 dt dt 

e  
k
d st k st
k
s e
dt
Hence, the transfer function is
.
2s  3
H (s)  2
s  3s  2

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Thank You

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