Transfer Function of a Circuit

Let us first emphasize the concept of impedance in Laplace domain and in Phasor domain:
All electrical engineering signals exist in time domain where time t is the independent variable. One can
transform a time-domain signal to phasor domain for sinusoidal signals.
For general signals not necessarily sinusoidal, one can transform a time domain signal into a Laplace
domain signal.

Laplace Transform of its voltage

The impedance of an element in Laplace domain = .
Laplace Transform of its current

Phasor of its voltage

The impedance of an element in phasor domain = .
Phasor of its current
The impedances of elements, R, L, and C are given by

Element : Resistance R Inductance L Capacitance C

1
Impedance in Laplace domain : R sL sC

1
Impedance in Phasor domain : R jωL jωC

For Phasor domain, the Laplace variable s = jω where ω is the radian frequency of the sinusoidal
signal.
The transfer function H(s) of a circuit is defined as:

Transform of the output Phasor of the output

H(s) = The transfer function of a circuit = = .
Transform of the input Phasor of the input

+ +
vin = A cos(ωt) H(s) vout = AM (ω) cos(ωt + θ(ω))
- -

I
Example: As a simple example, consider a RC
R
circuit as shown on the right. By voltage division + 1
+
rule, it is easy to determine its transfer function Vin − sC Vo
−
as
1
Vo sC 1 1 1 α
H(s) = = 1 = 1 + sRC = RC 1 = s+α
Vin R + sC s + RC
1
where α = RC .
Transfer function is normally expressed in a form where the coefficient of highest power in the denominator
is unity (one).
Example: Determine the transfer function of the circuit shown. Assume that the Op-Amp is ideal.

The solution is simple. In what follows we show all steps clearly showing all the mathematical manipulations.
By voltage division rule,
1
sC 1 1 1 α
VN = VP = 1 Vin = Vin = 1 Vin = Vin
R+ sC
1 + sRC RC s + RC s+α
1
where α = RC .

We can write the node equation at N as

VN
(VN − V0 )sC1 + = 0.
R1
We can simplify the above equation as
 
VN VN 1 1 + sC1 R1
VN − V0 + = 0 ⇒ V0 = VN + = VN 1 + = VN .
sC1 R1 sC1 R1 sC1 R1 sC1 R1

Thus
1
1 + sC1 R1 s + C 1 R1 s+β
V0 = VN = VN = VN
sC1 R1 s s
1
where β = C 1 R1 .
We get
V0 V0 VN s+β α α(s + β)
The transfer function = H(s) = = = = .
Vin VN Vin s s+α s(s + α)
This is often used in deriving filter circuits.