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The Impulse Function and Its Fourier Transform

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26 views1 page

The Impulse Function and Its Fourier Transform

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krutkisvoi
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© © All Rights Reserved
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The impulse function and its Fourier transform

Consider a tall, narrow, rectangular voltage pulse of width r seconds and amplitude 1/r V
occurring at time t = T, Figure 2.29. The area under the pulse (sometimes called its strength) is clearly 1.0
V s. The impulse function (also called the Dirac delta function) can be defined as the limit of this
rectangular pulse as t tends to zero, i.e.:

This idea is illustrated in Figure 2.30. Whatever the value of t the strength of the pulse remains
unity. Mathematically the impulse might be described by:

More strictly the impulse is defined by its sampling, or sifting, property under integration, i.e.:

That equation (2.46(a)) is consistent with equations (2.45) is easily shown as follows:

Notice that if we insist that the strength of the impulse has units of Vs, i.e. its amplitude has units of V,
then the sampled quantity, f(T), in equations (2.46) would have units of V2s (or joules in 1 Q). In view of
this the impulse is usually taken to have an amplitude measured in s-1 (i.e. to have dimensionless
strength). This can be reconciled with an equivalent physical implementation of sampling using tall,
narrow pulses, a multiplier and integrator by associating dimensions of V-1 with the multiplier (required
for its output to have units of V) and dimensions of s-1 with the integrator (required for its output also to
have units of V). Such an implementation, shown in Figure 2.31, is not, of course, used in practical
sampling circuits.

As a rectangular pulse gets narrower its Fourier transform (which is a sine function) gets wider, Figure
2.32. This reciprocal width relationship is a general property of all Fourier transform pairs. Using
equation (2.43(b)) it can be seen that as t —> 0 then rf -> 0 and sinc(r/) —> 1.0. It follows that:

The amplitude spectrum of an impulse function is therefore a constant (measured in V/Hz if 8(f) has
units of V). Such a spectrum is sometimes referred to as white, since all frequencies are present in equal
quantities. This is analogous to white light. (From a strict mathematical point of view the impulse
function, as represented here, does not have a Fourier transform owing to the infinite discontinuity
which it contains. The impulse and constant in equation (2.47(c)) can be approximated so closely by tall,
thin rectangular pulses and broad sine pulses, however, that the limiting forms need not be challenged.
In any event, if desired, the impulse can be derived as the limiting form of other pulse shapes which
contain no discontinuity.)

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