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Continuous Fourier transforms of Periodic Functions

Fourier transform of ejn0 t Using the frequency shifting property of the Fourier transform

ejn0 t

= 1.ejn0 t = 2( n0 )

F(ejn0 t ) = F(1) shif ted by 0

Fourier transform of cos 0 t & %

' cos 0 t = F(ej0 t ) = = F(cos 0 t) = ej0 t + ej0 t 2 F(1) shif ted by 0 2( 0 ) ( 0 ) + ( + 0 )

Fourier transform of a periodic function f (t) The periodic function is not absolutely summable. The Fourier transform can be represented by a Fourier series. The Fourier transform of the Fourier series representation of the periodic function (period T ) can be computed & %

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$ f (t) =
n=

Fn e

jn0 t

2 , 0 = T

F(f (t)) = F(
n=

Fn ejn0 t ) Fn F(ejn0 t )

=
i=

= 2
n=

Fn ( n0 )

Note: The Fourier transform is made up of components at discrete frequencies. Fourier transform of a periodic function f (t) = n= (t nT ) (a periodic train of impulses)

&

' f (t) =

Fn e
n=

jn0 t

2 , 0 = T

1 Fn = T F(f (t)) = =
i=

1 F( ejn0 t ) T n=

Fn F(ejn0 t ) 1 2 T 0
n=

= =

( n0 )
n=

( n0 ) %

Note: A periodic train of impulses results in a Fourier &

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transform which is also a periodic train of impulses (see Figure 1) .

(tnT) ( n 0 )

f(t)

F( )

Figure 1: The periodic pulse train and its Fourier transform

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