Transfer function

Transfer function is the ratio of Laplace transform of output to Laplace transform of input
considering all initial conditions to be zero.
The transfer function can be written as
Laplace tranform of output
Transfer function = (0.1)
Laplace tranform of input zero initial contitions

Suppose, output and input in time domain are y  t  and r  t  and their Laplace transforms
are Y  s  and R  s  respectively. Then, the transfer function will become
L  y  t  Y s
T s   (0.2)
L r  t  R s
where T  s  represents the transfer function.

Significance of transfer function:

The transfer function provides input-output relationship of any system.

Numerical examples:
1. The dynamic behavior of a system is given as
dy  t 
 5 y  t   4r  t 
dt
where y  t  is output and r  t  is output. Determine the system transfer function.
Y s 4
 Answer:
R s s  5
2. Determine the transfer function of a system which is described by following differential
equation
d 2 y t  dy  t 
2 2
3  4 y  t   5r  t   6r  t  1
dt dt
where y  t  is output and r  t  is output.
Note: L r  t  a   e  a R  s 
Y s 5  6e  s
 2 Answer:
R  s  2 s  3s  4
3. Obtain the transfer function of a system which is defined by following differential
equation
d 2 y t  dy  t  dr  t 
2
2  3 y t   4  5r  t 
dt dt dt
where y  t  is output and r  t  is output.
 dr  t  
Note: L    sR  s 
 dt 
 Y s 4s  5
Answer:  2
R  s  s  2s  3
4. Derive the differential equation of a system whose transfer function is given as
Y s s2
 2
R  s  s  2s  3
where Y  s  and R  s  are output and input in Laplace domain.
d 2 y t  dy  t  dr  t 
Answer: 2
2  3 y t    2r  t 
dt dt dt

Relation in between transfer function and unit impulse response:

5. The unit impulse response of a system is given as

y  t   Ke at
Determine its transfer function.
Y s K
Answer: T  s   
R s s  a
Note: Have you noticed here that T  s   Y  s  since R  s   1 .
This relation turns out in another beautiful definition of transfer function.

Transfer function and unit impulse response

Transfer function is Laplace transform of unit impulse response considering all initial
conditions to be zero.

6. Determine the transfer function of a system which has following unit impulse response
y  t   Ae  mt  Be  nt
Y  s   A  B  s  An  Bm
Answer: T  s   
R  s  s 2   m  n  s  mn
7. The Laplace inverse of transfer function of a system is given as Ae bt . The input to the
system is r  t   K . Determine the output of system in Laplace and time domains.
AK AK
Answer: Y  s  
s  s  b
, y t  
b
1  e bt 
 Different forms of transfer function
Transfer function is given as
Y s
T s  (0.3)
R s
which in general can be written as
am s m  am 1 s m1    a1s  a0
T s  (0.4)
bn s n  bn 1s n 1    b1 s  b0
where a0 , a1 ,  , am are coefficients of numerator polynomial of transfer function while b0 ,
b1 ,  , bn are coefficients of denominator polynomial.

After factorization, transfer function represented by (0.4) can further be written as

T s  K
 s  zm  s  zm1   s  z2  s  z1  (0.5)
 s  pn  s  pn1   s  p2  s  p1 
where K is known as gain or gain factor; z1 , z2 ,  , zm are the roots of numerator
polynomial of transfer function; and p1 , p2 ,  , pn are roots of denominator polynomial.
The roots of the numerator polynomial are also termed as zeros of transfer function. While
the roots of denominator polynomial of transfer function are also known as poles of transfer
function.
The representation given in (0.4) is known as coefficient form of transfer function however
the representation provided in (0.5) known as pole-zero form of transfer function.

Poles of transfer function:

The roots of denominator polynomial of transfer function are known as poles of transfer
function.

8. Obtain the poles of following transfer function

 s  5
T s  2
 s  1 s  4   s 2  2s  2 
Answer: s  1, 1  j , 4, 4

Zeros of transfer function:

The roots of numerator polynomial of transfer function are known as zeros of transfer
function.

9. Obtain the zeros of transfer function given as

2
 s  1 s  2   s 2  2s  2 
T s 
s 3  s  5   s 2  6s  25 
Answer: s  1, 2, 2, 1  j

Characteristic equation:
The equation obtained by equating the denominator polynomial of transfer function to zero is
known as characteristic equation.
10. Obtain the characteristic equation of following transfer functions
 s  5
(i) T s  2
 s  1 s  4   s 2  2s  2 
2
 s  1 s  2   s 2  2s  2 
(ii) T s 
s 3  s  5   s 2  6s  25 
2
Answer: (i)  s  1 s  4   s 2  2 s  2   0
(ii) s 3  s  5   s 2  6s  25   0

Order of the transfer function:

The highest power present in the characteristic equation is known as order of the system.

11. What are the orders of transfer functions considered in Question 10.
Answer: (i) 5, (ii) 6

Pole-zero plot:
The plot obtained by locating all poles and zeros of the transfer function in s -plane is known
as pole-zero plot. The poles are represented by  while zeros are denoted by  in s -plane .

12. Obtain the pole-zero plot of following transfer functions

 s  5
(iii) T s  2
 s  1 s  4   s 2  2s  2 
2
 s  1 s  2   s 2  2s  2 
(iv) T s 
s 3  s  5   s 2  6s  25 

Properties of the transfer function:

1. The transfer function provides the input-output relationship of the system.
2. The transfer function is only applicable to linear time invariant (LTI) systems.
3. It also provides the information about poles, zeros, characteristic equation, order, etc.
of the system.
4. Transfer function also helps in stability analysis of the system.
5. The response of the system can be determined for any arbitrary input once the transfer
function of the system is known.
6. The differential equation of system can be obtained from transfer function.
7. Transfer function does not provide any information regarding the structure, size, etc.
of system.
8. The transfer function does not take care of initial conditions of the system.
Determination of transfer functions for electrical networks:

13. Determine the transfer function for following electrical network where i  t  is output of
the system and Vi  t  is input to the system.

Vi  t  R
i t 

I s 1
Vi  t   Ri  t   Vi  s   RI  s   
Vi  s  R

14. Determine the transfer function for following electrical network where V0  t  is output
of the system and Vi  t  is input to the system.

Vi  t  C V0  t 

1 1 
Vi  t   Ri  t    i  t  dt  Vi  s   RI  s   I  s 
C sC  V0  s  1
 
1
V0  t    i  t  dt  V0  s  
1
I s  Vi  s  1  sCR
C sC 

15. Determine the transfer function for following electrical network where V0  t  is output
of the system and Vi  t  is input to the system.

R
L
Vi  t  C V0  t 

di  t  1 1 
Vi  t   Ri  t   L   i  t  dt  Vi  s   RI  s   sI  s   I  s  V s
dt C sC  0  1
  2
1
V0  t    i  t  dt  V0  s  
1
I s  Vi  s  s LC  sRC  1
C sC 

16. Obtain the transfer function of the lead network shown below:
 R1

ei  t  C R2 eo  t 

E0  s   1  Ts 
Solution: 
Ei  s  1   Ts 
R2
where T  R1C and  
R1  R2

17. Obtain the transfer function of lag network shown:

R1

C
Ei  t  Eo  t 
R2

E0  s  1  Ts 
Solution: 
Ei  s  1   Ts 
R1  R2
where T  R2C and  
R2

18. Obtain the transfer function of the lag-lead network shown below:

R1

C1 R2
ei  t  eo  t 
C2

E0  s  1  T1s 1  T2 s 
Solution: 
Ei  s  1   T1s 1   T2 s 
where
T1  R1C1
R2

R1  R2
T2  R2C2
R R
 1 2
R2
19. Find Vo ( s ) Vi ( s ) :
1µF 0.5µF

Vi  t  1M Ω 1M Ω Vo  t 

Assume gain of buffer amplifier as 1.

Solution:
Vo (s) s2

Vi ( s) ( s  1)( s  2)