Chapter 3 The Laplace Transform and Its Applications

to Circuit Analysis
Circuit Analysis Tools (linear, time-invariant type)
Transforming the analysis in the time domain involving
differential equations to the domain where we only have to
deal with algebraic calculation of the s variable
Phasor analysis
Laplace Transform
Limit to only sinusoidal steady-
state condition!
(SUBSET of Laplace transform)
No limitations! Can be used to solve for
both transient and steady-state
solutions of networks
Laplace Transform (1)
To a function f(t) DEFINED on [0, ) in the time domain, it associates
in the complex frequency or s domain a function F(s):
F(s) is the Laplace transform for the time-domain function f(t)
NOTES:
s is a complex number where (unit of sec
-1
)
the lower limit for the integration is 0
-
, emphasizing that the
transform also captures any discontinuity of f(t) at t = 0!
For example, it helps to accommodate an impulse function at t = 0
e o j s + =
( ) | | ( ) ( ) dt e t f s F t f
st
}

= =
0
impulse function (Dirac delta function)
0
0 0 ) (
=
= =
t , singular
t , t o
but
1 ) (
0
0
t =
}
+

o
Laplace Transform (2)
( ) | | ( ) ( )
}
+

= =
j
j
st
ds e s F
j
t f s F
1
1
2
1
1
o
o
t
( ) ( ) s F t f
companion to Laplace transform is the inverse transform defined by
This involves knowledge on COMPLEX integration! But we will not
use this approach to solve for the inverse!
Laplace transform of f(t) exhibits a ONE-to-ONE correspondence
In circuit applications, Laplace transforms mostly turn out to be
rational functions of s (ratio of polynomials in s) where
The time function and its Laplace transform are unique!
For this particular use of the transform in circuit analysis, only the
time function AT t > 0
-
interests us
For f(t) to be Laplace transformable,
it needs to satisfy the condition:
for some and this to make the integral (area) finite
C
o o >
( ) <
}

dt t f e
t
0
o
Laplace Transform Pairs and Properties of the Transform
Unit step function u(t) associated with f(t) is omitted!
Inverse Laplace Transform (1)
The simplest and perhaps the most efficient way to transform a
function in the s-domain back to the time domain is to
A s-domain function F(s) has the general from of
( )
( )
( ) s D
s N
s F =
rational function of s
( ) s N ( ) s D
Numerator, roots of called ZEROS of F(s)
Denominator, roots of called POLES of F(s)
( ) 0 = s N
( ) 0 = s D
,
Polynomials of s
Decompose F(s) down into simple terms using the technique
called partial fraction expansion
Find the inverse of each term by matching entries in Table I
Inverse Laplace Transform (2)
THREE possible forms of F(s)
CASE 1: Simple POLES (real poles, no repeat)
s = -p
1
, -p
2
-p
n
are simple poles
where p
i
= p
j
for I = j
partial fraction expansion yields
where k
1
, k
2
k
n
are residues of F(s)
HOW TO FIND k
1
, k
2
k
n
in this case!
Assume that we mutiply F(s) with (s + p
1
)

and set s = -p
1
we then have k
1
Generally, for k
i
associated with p
i

General time-domain response for
simple poles
CASE 2: Repeated POLES
For F(s) with n repeated
poles at s = p,
FIND k
n

Inverse Laplace Transform (3)
General time-domain response for
repeated poles (Observe the
difference from simple poles case)
FIND k
n-1

FIND k
n-m

differentiate to get rid of k
n

differentiate to get rid of k
n-m-1

From the table
CASE 3(1): Complex POLES
Alternative expression for
s
2
+as+b in the equation
if the roots of s are complex
Use the transform table for the
general time-domain response for
complex poles
Re-express the numerator
in terms of and
and rearrange F(s)
Inverse Laplace Transform (4)
Always occurs in complex conjugate pairs in circuit analysis!
Consider F(s) in the form
Pole locations
| o j +
o |
Suddenly! sinusoid terms appear!
CASE 3(2): Complex POLES
Use the transform table
for the time-domain
response
Partial fraction of the
first term in F(s)
contains two terms
Inverse Laplace Transform (5)
Consider F(s) in the form
Pole locations
| o j
) (
) (
) (
1
2 2
2 1
s F
s
A s A
s F +
+ +
+
=
| o
| o +
+
| + o +
=
| + o +
+
j s
K
j s
K
s
A s A 1 1
) (
2 2
2 1
| o
| o
j s
s F j s K
=
+ + = ) ( ) ( 1 K1 is a complex number
(

+
+
(

+ + | o | o j s
K

j s
K 1 1
( )
) 1 ( ) 1 (
1
K t j K t j t
e e e K
Z | Z | o
+ =
) 1 cos( 1 2 K t e K
t
Z | =
o
Steps for Circuit Analysis
Application of Laplace Transform to Circuits (1)
Solve for the differential equations describing the circuit behavior in
time-domain using components i-v characteristic, node or mesh
analysis, super-position etc.
Solve differential
equations with
initial conditions
Transform the resulting
differential equation into
the s-domain
Solve the s-domain equations
algebraically for the desired
variables
Take the inverse transform
of the variables SOLUTIONs in time-domain!!
Not as simple as its look!
illustrating example : Series RLC circuit, find i(t) for t >= 0
KVL around the circuit loop yields
}
+ + + =
+ + =
t
C
C R L in
v dt t i
C
R t i
dt
t di
L
t v t v t v t v
0
/ /
) 0 ( ) (
1
) (
) (
) ( ) ( ) ( ) (
Transform the equation into the
s-domain (see table)
s
v
s I
sC
s RI Li s LsI s V
C
L in
) 0 (
) (
1
) ( ) 0 ( ) ( ) ( + + + =
0 0 ) ( < = t for t v
in
1
) 0 ( ) 0 (
) (
1
1
) 0 (
) 0 (
1
) (
) (
2 2
+ +

+
+ +
=
+ +

+
+ +
=
RCs LCs
Cv sLCi
s V
RCs LCs
sC
sC
R Ls
s
v
Li
sC
R Ls
s V
s I
C L
in
C
L
in
Re-arrange the equation for I(s)
Application of Laplace Transform to Circuits (2)
Numerical values: R=6 Ohm, C=0.04 F and L=1 H, v
C
(0)=1 V and i
L
(0)=5 A
25 6
1 5
) (
25 6
) (
2 2
+ +

+
+ +
=
s s
s
s V
s s
s
s I
in
For , we have hence
) ( ) 5 sin( 12 ) ( t u t t v
in
=
2 2
5
5 12
) (
+

=
s
s V
in
25 6
1 5
5
60
25 6
) (
2 2 2 2
+ +

+
+ + +
=
s s
s
s s s
s
s I
The remaining task is to decompose the equation into a summation of
simple terms so that the inverse transform can be done with ease
First term:
) 5 )( 4 ) 3 ((
60
) 5 )( 16 9 ) 3 ( 2 (
60
2 2 2 2 2 2 2
+ + +
=
+ + + + s s
s
s s s
s
) 5 ( ) 4 ) 3 ((
2 2
2 1
2 2
2 1
+
+
+
+ +
+
=
s
B s B
s
A s A
Find A
1
, A
2
, B
1
and
B
2

Application of Laplace Transform to Circuits (3)
4 3
2 1
4 3
2 2
5
60
j S
A s A
s
s
j S
=
+ =
+
=
5
2 1
5
2 2
4 ) 3 (
60
j S
B s B
s
s
j S
=
+ =
+ +
=
1 2 1
4 ) 3 ( 0 10 A j A A j + = +
1 2
5 0 10 B j B j = +
Thus, A
1
=0, A
2
= -10, B
1
= 0 and B
2
=
10

| | ) ( ) 5 sin( 2 ) 4 sin( 5 . 2
) 5 (
5
2
) 4 ) 3 ((
4
4
10
) 5 (
5
2
) 4 ) 3 ((
4
4
10
) 5 (
10
) 4 ) 3 ((
10
3
2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
t u t t e
s s
s s s s
t
+ =
(
(

+
+
+ +

+
+
+ +
=
+
+
+ +

Second term:
2 2 2 2 2
4 ) 3 (
4
4
4 ) 3 (
) 3 ( 5
25 6
1 5
+ +

+ +
+
=
+ +

s s
s
s s
s
| | ) ( ) 4 sin( 4 ) 4 cos( 5
4 ) 3 (
4
4
4 ) 3 (
) 3 ( 5
3 3
2 2 2 2
t u t e t e
s s
s
t t
=
(
(

+ +

+ +
+
Application of Laplace Transform to Circuits (4(1))
Application of Laplace Transform to Circuits (4(2))
First term:
5
2
5
2
4 3
1
4 3
1
) 5 )( 4 ) 3 ((
60
2 2 2 2
j s
K
j s
K
j s
K
j s
K
s s
s

+
+
+
+
+
+ +
=
+ + +
Find K
1

Find K
2

o
j
j s
e j
s s
s
j s K
90
4 3
2 2 2 2
25 . 1 25 . 1
) 5 )( 4 ) 3 ((
60
) 4 3 ( 1
Z
=
= =
+ + +
+ + =
o
j
j s
e j
s s
s
j s K
90
5
2 2 2 2
) 5 )( 4 ) 3 ((
60
) 5 ( 2
Z
=
= =
+ + +
+ =
) 90 4 cos( 5 . 2
3 o t
t e Z =

Inverse Laplace of the K
1
pair:
) 90 5 cos( 2
o
t Z =
Inverse Laplace of the K
2

pair:
) 4 sin( 5 . 2
3
t e
t
=
) 5 sin( 2 t =
| | ) ( ) 5 sin( 2 ) 4 sin( 5 . 2
) 5 )( 4 ) 3 ((
60
3
2 2 2 2
t u t t e
s s
s
t
+ =
(
(

+ + +

0 ), 5 sin( 2 ) 4 sin( 5 . 6 ) 4 cos( 5 ) (
3 3
> + =

t for t t e t e t i
t t
Final answer in time-domain
In fact, we can skip the first step involving the formation of the
differential equation by directly transforming the circuit
COMPONENTS from time-domain to their equivalent s-domain
i-v characteristics!!
Resistor
time-domain
s-domain
) ( ) ( t Ri t v =
) ( ) ( s RI s V =
Application of Laplace Transform to Circuits (5)
Capacitor
dt t Cdv t i / ) ( ) ( =
s
v
s I
sC
s V
) 0 (
) (
1
) ( + =
time-domain
s-domain
) 0 ( ) ( ) ( Cv s sCV s I =
or
Inductor
dt t Ldi t v / ) ( ) ( =
s
i
s V
sL
s I
) 0 (
) (
1
) ( + =
time-domain
s-domain
) 0 ( ) ( ) ( Li s sLI s V =
or
Application of Laplace Transform to Circuits (6)
From the same series RLC circuit, we can then transform it directly
to the s-domain, write down KVL equation and solve for I(s)
KVL around the circuit loop yields
s
v
s I
sC
R s I Li s sLI
s V s V s V s V
C
L
C R L in
) 0 (
) (
1
) ( ) 0 ( ) (
) ( ) ( ) ( ) (
+ + + =
+ + =
Hence
1
) 0 ( ) 0 (
) (
1
) (
2 2
+ +

+
+ +
=
RCs LCs
Cv sCi
s V
RCs LCs
sC
s I
C L
in
Zero-state (forced)
response
Zero-input (natural)
response
Application of Laplace Transform to Circuits (7)
0 ), 5 sin( 2 ) 4 sin( 5 . 6 ) 4 cos( 5 ) (
3 3
> + =

t for t t e t e t i
t t
Lets have a closer look to the time-domain solution!
Application of Laplace Transform to Circuits (8)
We can see that the equation can be divided into the transient and
the steady-state solutions
Transient Steady-state
Lets check if the phasor analysis yields the same steady-state solution
Series RLC circuit in phasor domain
) 5 sin( 2 ) ( t t i =
5 5 6
12
) (
j j
j I
+
= e
Application of Laplace Transform to Circuits (9)
Exercises: Find the solutions for the circuits below with the Laplace
transform approach
(a) Lossy Integrator
( ) V V
C
1 0 =

Find i(t) and v

O
(t) for a
pulse input v
i
(t) .
(b) RLC circuit
( ) ( ) A I V V
L C
0 0 0 0 = =

,
Find i
L
(t) and v
C
(t).
Application of Laplace Transform to Circuits (10)
Observations:
In any networks, an s-domain current and voltage and its
corresponding time function is essentially the sum of the
zero-state response and zero-input response
For any networks, there is, in fact, a common denominator term
among all the current and voltage variables and this term has
a close connection with the way the network responses to inputs
and initial conditions
The common denominator term is best described with the notion
of POLES. Such POLES can then be used to indicate the total
behavior of the network ON-THE-FLY (Remember how the
time-constant parameter can be used to indicate circuits speed)
Only networks with complex POLES will exhibit oscillatory
characteristics
Significance of Pole Locations
Consider zero-input responses for a parallel RLC circuit with different
POLE locations
More Practical OPAMP Model
OPAMP (Not-so-low-frequency) model
We only need to modify the voltage-gain term
OL
A
s
A
OL
t + 1
With no simple POLES included, OPAMP and circuits containing
OPAMP would response to inputs with infinite speed (never in practice)
We can see the effect of adding the simple POLE term by revisiting the
simple inverting amplifier
From the circuit below, find the unit-step response for v
o
(t) using
(a) the low-frequency model and (b) not-so-low-frequency model,
compare the results!