ECE 382 Fall 2018
Frequency response
The frequency response of a system is defined
as the steady-state response of the system to
a sinusoidal input.
The transfer function describing the sinusoidal
steady-state behavior is obtained by replacing
s with jω in the system transfer function, that
is,
H(jω) = H(s)|s=jω
H(jω) is called the sinusoidal transfer function.
1
The sinusoidal steady-state
response
Input Output
-
H(s) -
r(t) c(t)
The sinusoidal steady-state response of a BIBO
stable system to an input r(t) = X sin(ωt) is
given by
css = X|H(jω)| sin(ωt + Φ),
where |H(jω)| is the magnitude of H(jω) and
Φ = 6 H(jω) is the argument of H(jω).
2
The system frequency response
The sinusoidal steady-state response of a BIBO
stable system to an input r(t) = X sin(ωt) is
given by
css = X|H(jω)| sin(ωt + Φ),
where |H(jω)| is the magnitude of H(jω) and
Φ = 6 H(jω) is the argument of H(jω)
The steady-state output has the same frequency
as the input and can be obtained by multiply-
ing the input r(t) = X sin(ωt) by |H(jω)| and
shifting the phase angle by 6 H(jω).
The magnitude |H(jω)| and the angle 6 H(jω)
for all ω constitute the system frequency re-
sponse.
3
The magnitude and phase responses
The magnitude |H(jω)| represents the gain of
the system for sinusoidal inputs with frequency
ω.
A plot of |H(jω)| versus ω is called the magni-
tude, or amplitude, response.
The angle 6 H(jω) represents the phase of the
system for sinusoidal inputs with frequency ω.
A plot of 6 H(jω) versus ω is called the phase
response.
Octave and decade
An octave is a frequency band from ω1 to ω2
such that ω2
ω = 2.
1
There is an increase in decade from ω1 to ω2
ω2
when ω = 10.
1
4
Logarithmic plots
Logarithmic plots of H(jω), or Bode diagrams
of H(jω), are two graphs:
1. A plot of 20 log10 |H(jω)| versus the fre-
quency in log scale, that is, versus log10 ω
2. The phase angle 6 H(jω) versus log10 ω
The standard representation of the logarithmic
magnitude of H(jω) is
20 log10 |H(jω)| dB
Historical Comment: Researchers for the telephone company first
defined the unit of power gain as a “bel.” However, this unit proved
to be too large, and hence a decibel, that is, one-tenth of a bell,
was selected as the unit, which is, of course, named after Alexander
Graham Bell, the founder of the company
5
Motivation for using 20 log10 |H(jω)|
In communications it is standard to measure
power gain in decibels,
P2
|H|dB = 10 log10
P1
Since power is the square of voltage, the volt-
age gain is
V2
|H|dB = 20 log10
V1
From now on, we will drop the base of the
logarithm; it is understood to be 10.
6
Advantages of working with
frequency response in terms of
Bode plots
• Multiplication of magnitudes converted into
addition
• A much wider range of the behavior of
the circuit can be displayed; that is, both
low- and high-frequency behavior can be
displayed in one plot
• Bode plots can be determined experimen-
tally
7
Example
1
H(s) =
1 + 2s
Hence,
1
H(jω) =
1 + 2jω
Hence the log magnitude, Lm, is
1 1
Lm = 20 log
1 + 2jω 1 + 2jω
q
= 20 log 1 − 20 log 1 + (2ω)2
q
= −20 log 1 + (2ω)2
for very small values
of ω, that is, 2ω 1,
Lm = log 1 = 0
=
for very large values
of ω, that is, 2ω 1,
Lm = −20 log(2ω)
