Introduction to Fourier Transform

• Let f(t) be an aperiodic, integrable, continuous function of t, the Fourier transform of f(t) is defined
by:

F (w ) =
−
 f (t ) e− jwt dt ............(1)

• The inverse Fourier transform is given by:


f (t ) = 
−
F (w ) e jwt dw ...............(2)
• Equations (1) and (2) are known as the Fourier transform pair.
• The FT of a real function is generally complex, that is

F (w ) = R (w ) + jI (w )

Where R(w) and I(w) are respectively the real and imaginary parts of F(w).
• In exponential form:

F (w ) = F (w ) e  (w )
Where
F (w ) = R 2 (w ) + I 2 (w ) Fourier spectrum

and
 I (w ) 
 (w ) = tan −1   phase angle
 R (w ) 
Example:
Find the FT of the function f(t) shown beside.
f(t)

10

Solution: 0 t
4

F (w ) = 
−
f (t ) e − jwt dt

4
4  e − jwt   e − j 4w 

− jwt 1
F (w ) = 10 e dt = 10  =  − 
 − jw 
10
0
 0  − jw − jw 

=
jw
(
−10 − j 4w
e −1 = ) 20
2 jw
( )
−e − j 2w + e j 2w e − j 2w

20
= ( sin 2w ) e − j 4w
w
 Which is a complex function

• The Fourier spectrum is given by :

20
F (w ) = . sin 2w . e − jew
w
|F(w)|

sin 2w
= 40
2w 40

−3  0   w
− −
2 2 2
 The Discrete Fourier transform (DFT)

The Discrete Fourier transform (DFT) pair that applies to sampled functions (f[n]) is given by:

N −1 2 nk
−j
 f [n ]e
1
F [k ] = N
N n =0

For k=0,1,2,……..,N-1

Where the function f[n] has N samples.

N −1 2 nk

 F [k ]e
j
f [n ] = N

K =0

For n=0,1,2,….,N-1
 n
• The space in time between any two successive samples of f[n] is known as the time resolution = Ts

• The space in frequency between any two successive values of F[k] is known as the frequency resolution k

• In the case of DFT, the time and frequency resolutions are related by the expression:
1 1
k = =
N n NTs

• This means that k and n (Ts ) are related inversely.

That is, good time resolution is achieved when small n is used, but this will reduce frequency resolution
k and vice versa.
Example: Calculation the DFT for the following signal: f[n]

Solution:
4
N=4  K=0,1,2,3
3

N −1 2 nk 2
−j
 f [n ]e
1
F [k ] = N
n
N n =0
-3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6

3 2 nk
−j

1
F [k ] = f [n ]e 4
4 n =0

Now,


1 1
F [0] = f [n ] = (2 + 3 + 4 + 4) = 3.25
4 n =0 4
 3 n
−j

1
F [1] = f [n ]e 2
4 n =0
 3
1 −j −j
= (f [0] + f [1]e 2 + f [2]e − j  + f [3]e 2
4
1
= (−2 + j )
4


1
F [2] = f [n ]e − j  n
4 n =0
−1
=
4
and
3 6 n
−j

1
F [3] = f [n ] e 4
4 n =0
1
= (−2 − j )
4