Prof. Dr. I.

Nasser

Phys571 (T-131)

September 28, 2013

Fourier_Transf_phys571_T131

Fourier transforms (Chapter 15)

Fourier integrals are generalizations of Fourier series. The series representation
a0
n x
n x
f (x ) =

+ [an cos
+ b n sin
]
L
L
n =1

of a function f (x ) is a periodic form on < x < obtained by generating the coefficients from
the functions definition on the least period [ L , L ] . If a function f (x ) defined on the set of all
real numbers has no period, then an analogy to Fourier integrals can be envisioned as letting
L and replacing the integer valued index, n, by a real valued function k . The coefficients an
and b n then take the form a (k ) and b (k ) . This mode of thought leads to the following definition.
We will assume the following conditions on f ( x )
1- f ( x ) satisfies the Dirichlet conditions in every finite interval [ L , L ] .
+

2-

f (x )dx finite, converges, i.e. f (x ) is absolutely integrable in [ , ] .

Fourier's formula for 2L-periodic functions using sines and cosines

For a 2L-periodic function (x) that is integrable on [ L , L ] , the numbers
a0
n x
n x
+ [an cos
+ b n sin
]
2 n =1
L
L
is called the Fourier series of f (x ) . Using the integrals:
f (x ) =

+L

cos(

+L

m x
n x
) cos(
)dx = L mn ,
L
L
+L

sin(

sin(

(1)

m x
n x
) sin(
)dx = L mn ,
L
L

n x
n x
) cos(
)dx = 0
L
L

one finds:
+L
+L
+L
1
1
n x
1
n x
and b n = f (x ) sin(
an = f (x ) cos(
a0 = f (x )dx ,
)dx
)dx ; n > 0
L L
L
L L
L
L L
are called the Fourier coefficients of .
For continuous range, i.e. L , Equation (1) reduces to (note that f ( x ) 0 as L ):

1
f (x ) =
2L

+L

+L

1
n x '
n x
cos
)dx '
f (x ') cos(
L f (x ')dx '+
L
L L
n =1 L

+L

1
n x '
n x
sin
)dx '
f (x ') sin(
L
L
L

n =1
L

+
=

1
2L

+L

f (x ')dx ' +

1
L

+L

n x '
(x x
L

f (x ') cos
n =1 L

') dx '

L
n

Let, k =
; k = n = . If f ( x ) is finite, then ( using = dk )

L
L
L
n =1
0

(2)

Prof. Dr. I. Nasser

Phys571 (T-131)

September 28, 2013

Fourier_Transf_phys571_T131
f (x ) =

dk

1
=
2

f (x ') cos {k (x x ')} dx '

(3)

dk f (x ') cos {k (x x ')} dx '

Since:

1
2

dk

f (x ') sin {k (x x ')} dx ' = 0

then, we can have:

1
f (x ) =
2

dk

f (x ')e

1
dx ' =
2

dke

ik ( x x ')

ikx

ikx '
(
')
'
f
x
e
dx

g (k )

Where g ( k ) is known as the Fourier transform of f ( x ) .

Applications:
Example: Calculate the Fourier transformation of the Gaussian function f (x ) = e
Answer:

g (k ) =

1
2

x 2 ikx

dx =

e k

/4

ik

x +
2

dx =

e k

/4

Note that: The Fourier transform of a Gaussian functions is a Gaussian function.

H.W. Plot both functions.
Prove that if

f (x ) = Ne x

, then g ( k ) =

2
N
e k / ( 4 ) , and vice versa.
2

The Fourier transform of the Gaussian function is another Gaussian:

x 2

Prof. Dr. I. Nasser

Phys571 (T-131)

September 28, 2013

Fourier_Transf_phys571_T131

Note that the width sigma is oppositely positioned in the arguments of the exponentials. This means
the narrower a Gaussian is in one domain, the broader it is in the other domain.

IMAGE QUALITY
The Gaussian function can approximate the behavior of an imaging system. In particular, if we think of a
very narrow slit of x-rays as being a line of delta functions, an x-ray screen will blur this delta line into a
broader "ridge". It should be obvious that we want this ridge to be as narrow as possible. The imaging
system's response to a delta function line input is called the LINE SPREAD FUNCTION, or LSF in the
spatial domain. The magnitude of the complex function which is the Fourier transform of the LSF is the
frequency-dependent function known as the MODULATION TRANSFER FUNCTION, or MTF.
Using what we have just learned about Gaussian functions, we conclude that the narrower the LSF, the
broader the MTF in frequency space. Since we want narrow LSF's to produce sharper images, we want
MTF's to stay high until a high spatial frequency is reached before it falls to zero. High frequencies are
associated with sharp features in the image, and the MTF is the system's ability to record information as a
function of frequency.

HEISENBERG UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE

In Quantum Mechanics, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle states that we cannot simultaneously know a
particle's position and momemtum (or direction of motion). This is because the position wave function and
the momentum wave function are Fourier transform pairs. The narrower one function becomes, the wider the
pair becomes. The better we know position, the worse we know momentum.

Prof. Dr. I. Nasser

Phys571 (T-131)

Fourier_Transf_phys571_T131

For

September 28, 2013

Prof. Dr. I. Nasser

Phys571 (T-131)

September 28, 2013

Fourier_Transf_phys571_T131

Example (15.5a): Calculate the Fourier transformation of the function

1,
x a
,
f (x ) =
(a > 0) .
x >a
0,
Answer: Its Fourier transform reads
F (k ) =

1
2

1 e ika e ika
2 sin(ak )
=

k
2 ( ik )

ikx '
e dx ' =

The functions f (k ) and F (k ) are shown in the following figure.

Comment: This is the single-slit diffraction problem of physical optics. The slit is described by
f ( x ) . The diffraction pattern amplitude is given by the Fourier transform F (k ) , where
F (0) = a

Example: Dirac Delta function

1
1
g (k )e ikx dk , and using g (k ) =
Start with f (x ) =

2
2

f (x ) =

1
2

1
2

ikx
ikx '
=
f
x
e
dx
e
dk
f (x
(
')
'

f (x ')e

ikx '

dx ' then

1
')
2

e ik ( x x ')dk dx ' = f (x )

( x x ')

For a continuous function in three dimensions, one finds:

( r r') =

2
( )
3

i k.( r r ')

d 3k

1- Find the Fourier transformation of the triangular pulse.

1 x
f (x ) =
0

x < 1;
Otherwise

Answer: For the given function (it is even function), the Fourier transform is:

(15.21d)

Prof. Dr. I. Nasser

Phys571 (T-131)

September 28, 2013

Fourier_Transf_phys571_T131
2- Find the Fourier transformation of the function f (r ) =

e r
.{Hint: use the spherical
r

coordinates where d = r sin d d dr ]

2

Answer:

f (r ) =

e r
1
e r + i qr
f (q ) =
d ,

r
r
( 2 )3 / 2

I1 =

d = r 2 sin d d dr

1
e br
e br + i q ir
dr = d r 2dr d cos e iqr cos
r
0
0
1
r

e iqr e iqr e br 2
dr e ( iq b ) r e ( iq +b ) r
= 2 r 2dr
=

iqr
r
iq

0
0

( iq b ) r e ( iq +b ) r
2 e
2
0
0
=
+
=

iq iq b
iq + b
iq

r + i qr

f (q) =

( 2 )

3/ 2

d =

1
1
4
iq b + iq + b = b 2 + q 2

( 2 )

3/ 2

1+ q

1+ q 2

br
Example: Find the Fourier transformation of the function f (r ) = e
. [Hint:
I1 =

e br i q ir
4
2
d = 2
] , d = r sin d d dr
r
b +q2

f (r ) = e r f (q) =
=

e
3/ 2

br + i qr

( 2 )

e br i q ir
4
1
1
8 b
=
d =

3 / 2 b
3
/
2
2
2
3
/
2
2
b b + q
r
( 2 )
( 2 )
( 2 ) (b + q 2 )2

H.W. Calculate the following integrals:

e i k iR
2 2
I = 2 dk =
k
R

I 2 = e br i q i r d =

I 1
8 b
;
= 2
b (b + q 2 ) 2

i q i ( r-r')
e i q ir
4
iq i r' e
I3 =
dr = e
dr = e iq i r' lim I 1 = 2 e iq i r'

b
|r-r'|
|r-r'|
q

Prof. Dr. I. Nasser

Phys571 (T-131)

Fourier_Transf_phys571_T131

September 28, 2013