Module 2: Conformal Mapping

Dr. T. Phaneendra

January 3, 2019

Geometrical Representation of Complex Functions

Let w = f (z) = u(x, y) + iv(x, y) be a complex function of a complex variable z.
Since f involves four variables: two independent variables x, y and two dependent
variables u, v, it is convenient to illustrate f geometrically by two different planes
with rectangular coordinates, namely the z-plane and w-plane. The points z =
(x, y) are plotted in the z-plane, the points w = (u, v) are represented in the w-
plane and f is regarded as a transformation of a set of points of the z-plane to the
set of points of w-plane. We cannot draw the graph a complex function.
1 Angle Preserving Property
A path is a continuous function γ : [a, b] → C. A path γ : [a, b] → C is said to be
smooth if γ is continuously differentiable on (a, b).
Consider a function f : D → C, where D is a domain in C. We say that f
preserves angles at z0 ∈ D if, for any paths γj with γj (tj ) = z0 (γj0 (tj ) exists and
is nonzero), we have the paths Γj (t) = f (γj (t)). Thus if the angle of intersection
of the curves γ1 and γ2 at z0 in the domain is equal to the angle of intersection of
the image curves Γ1 and Γ2 at f (z0 ) in both magnitude and direction (or sense),
then we say that f preserves the angles at z0 .

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Conformal Mapping
A complex mapping or transformation with angle preserving property is known
as a conformal mapping. Conformal map preserves both angles and shape of
infinitesimal small figures but not necessarily their size. Thus a mapping

w = f (z) (1.1)

is conformal at z0 ∈ D, if it preserves the angles between curves through z0 as

well as their orientation. The mapping w = f (z) is conformal on a domain D if
and only if it is conformal at every point of D.
Theorem 1.1. A mapping (1.1) is conformal at a point z0 ∈ D if and only if it is
analytic at z0 and
f 0 (z0 ) 6= 0.

The angle of rotation is α = Argf 0 (z0 ) and the scale factor is

 
u, v 2
J= = |f 0 (z0 )| 6= 0
x, y

under f at z0 .
Definition 1.1. A point z ∈ D at which f 0 (z) = 0 is a critical point of the
transformation (1.1).
Example 1.1. The following mappings are conformal at all points of the complex
plane:

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(a) The translation T (z) = z + c; the rotation R(z) = az with |a| = 1; the
magnification M (z) = αz with α > 0

(b) A linear transformation w = az + b with a 6= 0

(c) The exponential function ez

Example 1.2. The inversion w = 1/z and w = z 2 − 1 are conformal on C − {0}

Example 1.3. w = z 2 + 2z is conformal at all z except z 6= −1
Example 1.4. w = sin z is conformal at z 6= ±(2n − 1)π/2, where n = 1, 2, 3, ...
Example 1.5. w = f (z) = z + 1/z is conformal at all points of the C-plane
except z = 0, ±1
Example 1.6. w = z̄ and w = x + i(2y) are nowhere conformal
Exercise 1.1. Show that each of the following mappings are conformal at the
given points. Also determine the angle of rotation α = Arg(f 0 (z)) and the scale
factor |f 0 (z)|2 at those points:

(a) w = sin z at z = 0, π2 + i, − π2 + i
(b) w = cos z at z = i, 1, π + i
(c) w = 1/z at z = 1, 1 + i, i

Exercise 1.2. Examine the conformality of the following mappings:

(a) w = z 3 − 3z + 1, w = z 2 + 2iz − 3,
2 −2
(b) w = z − e−z + 1 − i, zez
(c) w = tan z, z − log(z + 1)

Exercise 1.3. Describe a mapping f (z) which is conformal everywhere, but its
conjugate f¯(z) is nowhere conformal

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2 The Squared Mapping w = z 2

The square mapping w = f (z) = z 2 is expressed in rectangular coordinates as

w = u + iv = z 2 = (x + iy)2 = (x2 − y 2 ) + i(2xy). (2.1)

The transformation equations give the real and imaginary parts of w

u = u(x, y) = x2 − y 2 and v = v(x, y) = 2xy. (2.2)

Note that

∂u ∂u
= 2x, = −2y, (2.3)
∂x ∂y
∂v ∂v
= 2y, = 2x (2.4)
∂x ∂y

That is, the Cauchy-Riemann equations hold good at every point of the complex
plane. Since u, v and the first order partial derivatives are continuous at all z ∈ C,
f is differentiable and hence analytic at all points z of the complex plane (that is,
f is an entire function). Also

∂u ∂v
f 0 (z) = +i = 2x + i2y = 2z. (2.5)
∂x ∂x

Since f 0 (z) = 2z 6= 0 for z 6= 0, (2.1) is conformal at all z 6= 0, while z = 0 is its

critical point, where f 0 (z) = 0.
The analyticity of f implies that the level curves

u = x2 − y 2 = constant (rectangular hyperbolas)

v = 2xy = constant (rectangular hyperbolas)

corresponding to the real and imaginary parts are orthogonal.

If w = z 2 is the complex potential of a fluid-flow, then its real part u = x2 − y 2
represents the velocity potential, and the level curves u ≡ x2 − y 2 = a are equipo-

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tential curves. While, the imaginary part v = 2xy denotes the stream function, and
the level curves v ≡ 2xy = b are lines of force or stream lines of the fluid-flow.
Polar Form: Let z = reiθ , and w = Reiϕ . Then, w = z 2 implies that

Reiϕ = (reiθ )2 = r2 ei2θ ,

which produces the transformation equations:

R = r2 and ϕ = 2θ. (2.6)

Images under the Squared Transformation

Example 2.1. Find the image of the straight lines x = c and y = d under the
transformation (2.1), where c and d are nonzero real numbers.
Solution. The domain curve x = c is a vertical line in the xy-plane, which is
at a distance of c units from the y-axis. Substituting x = c in the transformation
equations (2.2), we see that

u = c2 − y 2 and v = 2cy, where − ∞ < y < ∞. (2.7)

Note that y is treated as a parameter in the relations (2.7). Now, (2.7) are written
as

c2 − u = y 2 and v 2 = 4c2 y 2 . (2.8)

Elimination of y from (2.8) will give an expression in terms of u and v as

v 2 = 4c2 (c2 − u) or v 2 = −4c2 (u − c2 ). (2.9)

Geometry says that (2.9) is a negatively oriented parabola with vertex at the point
(c2 , 0), and focus at the origin (0, 0) in the uv-plane.
On the other hand, the curve y = d is a horizontal line in the xy-plane, which is

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at a distance of d units from the x-axis. Substituting y = d in the transformation

equations (2.2), we see that

u = x2 − d2 and v = 2dx, where − ∞ < x < ∞. (2.10)

Since x is treated as a parameter, the relations (2.10) are written as

x2 = u + d2 and v 2 = 4d2 x2 . (2.11)

Elimination of y from (2.11) will give an expression in terms of u and v as

v 2 = 4d2 (u + d2 ), (2.12)

which is a positively oriented parabola with vertex at the point (−d2 , 0), and focus
at the origin (0, 0) in the uv-plane.

Note that (2.11) and (2.12) are orthogonal level curves, since w = u + iv is
analytic.

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Example 2.2. Find the image of the real and imaginary axes under the transfor-
mation (2.1).
Solution. Equation of the real axis is y = 0. Substituting y = 0 in the transfor-
mation equations (2.2), we see that

u = x2 and v = 0, where − ∞ < x < ∞. (2.13)

Note that x2 is nonnegative for all real x. Thus (2.13) imply that u ≥ 0, v = 0,
which represents the nonnegative real axis in the uv-plane.
While, substituting x = 0 in (2.1), we get

u = −y 2 ≤ 0 and v = 0, where − ∞ < y < ∞. (2.14)

Thus the image of the imaginary axis x = 0 is the nonpositive portion of the real
axis in the uv-plane.
Example 2.3. Find the image of the straight line y = x under the transformation
(2.1).
Solution. The straight line y = x passes through the origin and makes an angle
of π/4 with the positive real axis in the xy-plane. Substituting y = x in the
transformation equations (2.2), we see that

u = 0 and v = 2y 2 ≥ 0, where − ∞ < y < ∞, (2.15)

which represents the nonnegative imaginary axis in the uv-plane.

Exercise 2.1. Find the image of the straight line y = 2x under the transformation
(2.1).
Exercise 2.2. Find the image of the square (x, y) : 0 ≤ x ≤ 1, 0 ≤ y ≤ 1, under
the squared transformation (2.1).

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Example 2.4. Find the image of the curves x2 − y 2 = a2 and xy = b2 under the
squared transformation (2.1).
Solution. Substituting these in (2.2), we get u = a2 and v = 2b2 , which are
straight lines parallel to the coordinate axes in the uv-plane.
Exercise 2.3. Find the image of the region enclosed by the triangle with vertices
i, 1 and 1 + i under the squared transformation (2.1).
Example 2.5. Find the image of the upper half of the xy-plane under the squared
transformation (2.1).
Solution. The upper half of the xy-plane is represented by the polar equations:
r ≥ 0, 0 ≤ θ ≤ π. If w = Reiϕ , from (2.6), we find that

R = r2 ≥ 0 and 0 ≤ ϕ ≤ 2π,

which the entire uv-plane. Thus the upper half of the xy-plane is mapped to the
entire uv-plane under the squared transformation (2.1).
Example 2.6. Under (2.1), the first quadrant {(r, θ) : r ≥ 0, 0 ≤ θ ≤ π/2} is
mapped onto the region {(ρ, ϕ) : ρ ≥ 0, 0 ≤ ϕ ≤ π}, which is the upper half
uv-plane.
Example 2.7. Find the image of the circle with centre at the origin and radius a
in xy-plane, under the squared transformation (2.1).
Solution. The circle with centre at the origin (0, 0) and radius a in xy-plane, is
given by z = reiθ , where r = a and 0 ≤ θ ≤ 2π.
Therefore, under (2.1), we get w = ρeϕ = r2 ei2θ so that ρ = a2 and 0 ≤ ϕ ≤ 4π,
which represent the enlarged circle with centre at the origin and radius a2 .
Exercise 2.4. Find the image of the annulus, enclosed between the concentric
circles z = aeiθ and z = beiθ , where a > 0, b > 0 and 0 ≤ θ ≤ 2π, under the
squared transformation (2.1).
Exercise 2.5. Find the image of the sector z = aeiθ , a > 0 and − π4 ≤ θ ≤ π
4
,

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under the squared transformation (2.1).

Exercise 2.6. Find the image of the annular sector z = reiθ , a ≤ r ≤ b and
0 ≤ θ ≤ π/3, under the squared transformation (2.1).
3 The Exponential Function ez
The exponential mapping of a complex variable z is defined by the power series:
∞
z
X zn
w = f (z) = e = for all z ∈ C. (3.1)
n=0
n!

Theorem 3.1. The exponential function (3.1) is analytic at all points of the com-
plex plane (that is, entire) and satisfies the following conditions:

(a) ez 6= 0 for all z ∈ C,

(b) ez1 +z2 = ez1 · ez2

(c) For real θ, eiθ = cos θ + i sin θ.

If z = x + iy, from (b) and (c) of Theorem 3.1, we see that

w = ez = ex+iy = ex eiy = ex (cos y + i sin y) = u + iv.

The transformation equations give the real and imaginary parts of w = ez :

u = u(x, y) = ex cos y and v = v(x, y) = ex sin y. (3.2)

Then

∂u ∂u
= ex cos y, = −ex sin y, (3.3)
∂x ∂y
∂v ∂v
= ex sin y, = ex cos y. (3.4)
∂x ∂y

That is, the Cauchy-Riemann equations hold good at every point of the complex
plane. Note that u, v and the first order partial derivatives are continuous at all

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points of the complex plane. Therefore, f is differentiable and hence analytic at

all points z of the complex plane (that is, f is an entire function). The derivative
of f (z) = ez is given by

∂u ∂v
f 0 (z) = +i = ex cos y + iex sin y = ez for all z ∈ C. (3.5)
∂x ∂x

Since f 0 (z) = ez 6= 0 for all z ∈ C, (3.1) is everywhere conformal in C. There

exists no critical point.
The analyticity of f implies that the level curves

u = u(x, y) = ex cos y = a and v = v(x, y) = ex sin y = b

corresponding to the real and imaginary parts are orthogonal.

Polar Form:

If we write w = ez = ρeiϕ as its polar form, then ex (cos y + i sin y) = ρeiϕ .

Therefore,
q
ρ = |w| = |e | = e cos2 y + sin2 y = ex > 0 for − ∞ < x < ∞
z x
(3.6)

and

ϕ = tan−1 (ex cos y/ex sin y) = tan−1 (tan y) = y for − ∞ < y < ∞. (3.7)

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Note that the principal value of ϕ = y lies in (0, 2π]. Since ρ = ex > 0 and
ϕ = y ∈ (0, 2π], we conclude that the complex plane is mapped into C − {0}.

Periodicity:

Note that ei(2nπ) = cos(2nπ) + i sin(2nπ) = 1 + i(0) = 1 for all n = 1, 2, 3, ....

Therefore, ez+i(2nπ) = ez .ei(2nπ) = ez for all z ∈ C. Thus f (z) = ez is periodic
with complex period i(2nπ).

Images under the Exponential Transformation

Example 3.1. Find the image of the straight lines x = c and y = d under the
transformation w = ez , where c and d are nonzero real numbers.
Solution. From the polar form w = ez = ρeiϕ , we see that

ρ = ex > 0 and ϕ = y ∈ R. (3.8)

Substituting x = c in (3.8), we get ρ = ec > 0 and ϕ = y ∈ R. Taking the

principal value of ϕ ∈ (0, 2π], we note that w = ez = ρeiϕ represents a circle with
radius ρ = ec > 0 and centre (0, 0).
On the other hand, substituting y = d in the transformation equations (3.8), we
have ρ = ex > 0 for all x, and ϕ = y = d, which represent an open ray from the
origin (0, 0), making a constant angle d, with the real axis in the uv-plane.
Example 3.2. Find the image of the real and imaginary axes under w = ez .
Solution. Equation of the real axis is y = 0. w = ez = ρeiϕ . Substituting y = 0
in the transformation equations (3.8), we see that

ρ = ex > 0 for all real x and ϕ = 0. (3.9)

This represents the positive real axis in the uv-plane.

While, substituting x = 0 in (3.8), we get ρ = e0 = 1 and ϕ = y for all real y.
Thus w = eiϕ represents the unit circle in the uv-plane.

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Example 3.3. Show that the exponential transformation w = ez maps the infinite
strip: −∞ < x < ∞, 0 < y < π onto the upper half uv-plane.

Solution. Let z = x + iy be any point of the strip. Then −∞ < x < ∞ and
0 < y < π. Now

ez = ex (cos y + i sin y) = u + iv so that u = ex cos y, v = ex sin y.

Now, ex > 0 for all x and ex → 0 as x → −∞. Also,

0<y<π → 0 < sin y < 1, while − 1 < cos y < 1

and hence

−∞ < ex cos y < ∞, ex sin y > 0 or − ∞ < u < ∞, v > 0,

which represents the upper half uv-plane.

Example 3.4. Find the image of the straight line y = x under the transformation
(2.1).
Solution. The straight line y = x passes through the origin and makes an angle
of π/4 with the positive real axis in the xy-plane. Substituting y = x in the
transformation equations (3.8), we get

ρ = ex and ϕ = x where − ∞ < x < ∞. (3.10)

Eliminating x between these two relations, we get ρ = eϕ , which represents the

logarithmic spiral in the uv-plane.

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n π πo
Exercise 3.1. Find the image of S = (x, y) : −1 ≤ x ≤ 1, − ≤ y ≤ −
4 4
under the transformation (3.1).
Exercise 3.2. Find the image of the curves ex cos y = a and ex sin y = b under
the exponential mapping.

Ans. The images are the straight lines u = a and v = b in the uv-plane

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