Chapter 6

The Mobius transformation

By: Habtamu G (Assistant Professor)

Email: [email protected]

Ch20_1
 Contents

6.1 Examples of mapping by functions

6.2 Magnification, translation, and rotation

6.3 The map w=1/z

6.4 Definition of Mobius transformation and basic

properties

6.5 The cross –ratios

Ch20_2
 6.1 Complex Functions as Mappings

Introduction
The complex function w = f(z) = u(x, y) + iv(x, y)
may be considered as the planar transformation. We
also call w = f(z) is the image of z under f. See Fig 6.1.

Ch20_3
Fig 6.1

Ch20_4
 Example 1
Consider the function f(z) = ez. If z = a + it, 0  t  ,
w = f(z) = eaeit. Thus this is a semicircle with center
w = 0 and radius r = ea. If z = t + ib, −  t  , w =
f(z) = eteib. Thus this is a ray with Arg w = b, |w| = et.
See Fig 20.2.

Ch20_5
Fig 6.2

Ch20_6
 Example 2
The complex function f = 1/z has domain z  0 and
x
real part : u ( x, y )  2
x  y2
y
imaginary part : v( x, y )  2
x  y2
When a  0, u ( x, y )  a can be written as
1 1 2 1 2
x  x  y  0, ( x  )  y  ( )
2 2 2
a 2a 2a

Ch20_7
 Cont’d
Likewise v(x, y) = b, b  0 can be written as
1 2 1 2
x  (y  )  ( )
2
2b 2b
See Fig 6.3.

Ch20_8
Fig 6.3

Ch20_9
 Translation and Rotation
The function f(z) = z + z0 is interpreted as a
translation. The function g ( z )  ei0 z is interpreted
as a rotation. See Fig 6.4.

Ch20_10
 Example 3
Find a complex function that maps −1  y  1 onto 2  x
 4.
Solution
See Fig 6.5. We find that −1  y  1 is first rotated
through 90 and shifted 3 units to the right. Thus the
mapping is

h( z )  ei / 2 z  3  iz  3

Ch20_11
Fig 6.5

Ch20_12
 Magnification
A magnification is the function f(z) = z, where  is a
fixed positive real number. Note that |w| = |z| = |z|.
If g(z) = az + b and a  r0ei0 then the vector is
rotated through 0, magnified by a factor r0, and then
translated using b.

Ch20_13
 Example 4
Find a complex function that maps the disk |z|  1 onto
the disk |w – (1 + i)|  ½.
Solution
Magnified by ½ and translated to 1 + i, we can have the
desired function as w = f(z) = ½z + (1 + i).

Ch20_14
 Power Functions
A complex function f(z) = z where  is a fixed
positive number, is called a real power function. See
Fig 6.6. If z = rei, then w = f(z) = rei.

Ch20_15
 Example 5
Find a complex function that maps the upper half-plane
y  0 onto the wedge 0  Arg w  /4.
Solution
The upper half-plane can also be described by 0  Arg
w  . Thus f(z) = z1/4 will map the upper half-plane onto
the wedge 0  Arg w  /4.

Ch20_16
 Successive Mapping
See Fig 6.7. If  = f(z) maps R onto R, and w = g()
maps R onto R, w = g(f(z)) maps R onto R.

Ch20_17
Fig 6.7

Ch20_18
 Example 6
Find a complex function that maps 0  y   onto the
wedge 0  Arg w  /4.
Solution
We have shown that f(z) = ez maps 0  y   onto to 0 
Arg    and g() =  1/4 maps 0  Arg    onto 0 
Arg w  /4. Thus the desired mapping is w = g(f(z)) =
g(ez) = ez/4.

Ch20_19
 Example 7
Find a complex function that maps /4  Arg z  3/4
onto the upper half-plane v  0.
Solution
First rotate /4  Arg z  3/4 by  = f(z) = e-i/4z. Then
magnify it by 2, w = g() =  2. Thus the desired
mapping is w = g(f(z)) = (e-i/4z)2 = -iz2.

Ch20_20
 6.2 Conformal Mappings
Angle –Preserving Mappings
A complex mapping w = f(z) defined on a domain D
is called conformal at z = z0 in D when f preserves
that angle between two curves in D that intersect at z0.
See Fig 6.10.

Ch20_21
Fig 6.10

Ch20_22
Referring to Fig 6.10, we have
' 2 ' 2 ' 2
z1'  z2  z1  z2  2 z1' z2' cos
 z' 2  z' 2  z'  z' 2 
1  1 2 
or   cos 
2 1
 (1)
 ' '
2 z1 z2
 
Likewise
 w' 2  w' 2  w'  w' 2 
1  1 2 
  cos 
2 1
 (2)
 2 w1' w2'
 

Ch20_23
 THEOREM 20.1
Conformal Mapping

If f(z) is analytic in the domain D and f’(z)  0, then

f is conformal at z = z0.
Proof
If a curve C in D is defined by z = z(t), then w = f(z(t)) is
the image curve in the w-plane. We have
w  f ( z (t )), w'  f ' ( z (t )) z ' (t )
If C1 and C2 intersect at z = z0, then
w1'  f ' ( z0 ) z1' , w2'  f ' ( z0 ) z2'

Ch20_24
 Proof Cont’d

Since f (z0)  0, we can use (2) to obtain

 f '(z )z' 2  f '(z )z' 2  f '(z )z'  f '(z )z' 2 

1  0 2 
  cos 
0 1 0 2 0 1

 2 f ' ( z0 ) z1' f ' ( z0 ) z2' 

 
 z' 2  z' 2  z'  z' 2 
1  1 2 

2 1
 cos   
 ' '
2 z1 z2
 

Ch20_25
 Example 1
(a) The analytic function f(z) = ez is conformal at all
points, since f (z) = ez is never zero.
(b) The analytic function g(z) = z2 is conformal at all
points except z = 0, since g(z) = 2z  0, for z  0.

Ch20_26
 Example 2
The vertical strip −/2  x  /2 is called the
fundamental region of the trigonometric function
w = sin z. A vertical line x = a in the interior of the
region can be described by z = a + it, −  t  . We
find that
sin z = sin x cosh y + i cos x sinh y
and so u + iv = sin (a + it)
= sin a cosh t + i cos a sinh t.

Ch20_27
 Cont’d
Since cosh2 t − sinh2 t = 1, then
u2 v2
2
 2
1
sin a cos a
The image of the vertical line x = a is a hyperbola with
 sin a as u-intercepts and since −/2 < a < /2, the
hyperbola crosses the u-axis between u = −1 and u = 1.
Note if a = −/2, then w = − cosh t, the line x = − /2 is
mapped onto the interval (−, −1]. Likewise, the line x
= /2 is mapped onto the interval [1, ).

Ch20_28
 Example 3
The complex function f(z) = z + 1/z is conformal at all
points except z = 1 and z = 0. In particular, the
function is conformal at all points in the upper half-
plane satisfying |z| > 1. If z = rei, then
w = rei + (1/r)e-i, and so
1 1
u  (r  ) cos , v  (r  ) sin  (3)
r r
Note if r = 1, then v = 0 and u = 2 cos  . Thus the
semicircle z = eit, 0  t  , is mapped onto [−2, 2] on
the u-axis. If r > 1, the semicircle z = reit, 0  t  , is
mapped onto the upper half of the ellipse u2/a2 + v2/b2 =
1, where a = r + 1/r, b = r − 1/r. See Fig 6.12.
Ch20_29
Fig 6.12

Ch20_30
 Cont’d
For a fixed value of , the ray tei, for t  1, is mapped
to the point u2/cos2 − v2/sin2 = 4 in the upper half-
plane v  0. This follows from (3) since
2 2 2 2
u v  1  1
 2  t    t    4
cos  sin   t   t 
2

Since f is conformal for |z| > 1 and a ray  = 0

intersects a circle |z| = r at a right angle, the hyperbolas
and ellipses in the w-plane are orthogonal.

Ch20_31
 THEOREM 6.2
Transformation Theorem for
Harmonic Functions

If f be an analytic function that maps a domain D onto

a domain D. If U is harmonic in D, then the real-valued
function u(x, y) = U(f(z)) is harmonic in D.

Ch20_32
 Cont’d

Proof
We will give a special proof for the special case in
which D is simply connected. If U has a harmonic
conjugate V in D, then H = U + iV is analytic in D, and
so the composite function H(f(z)) = U(f(z)) + iV(f(z)) is
analytic in D. It follow that the real part U(f(z)) is
harmonic in D.

Ch20_33
 Solving Dirichlet Problems Using Conformal
Mapping

 Solving Dirichlet Problems Using Conformal

Mapping
1. Find a conformal mapping w = f(z) that transform
s the original region R onto the image R. The
region R may be a region for which many
explicit solutions to Dirichlet problems are
known.
2. Transfer the boundary conditions from the R to
the boundary conditions of R. The value of u at a
boundary point  of R is assigned as the value of
U at the corresponding boundary point f().
Ch20_34
Fig 6.13

Ch20_35
3. Solve the Dirichlet problem in R. The solution
may be apparent from the simplicity of the
problem in R or may be found using Fourier or
integral transform methods.
4. The solution to the original Dirichlet problems is
u(x, y) = U(f(z)).

Ch20_36
 Example 6
The function U(u, v) = (1/) Arg w is harmonic in the
upper half-plane v > 0 since it is the imaginary part of
the analytic function g(w) = (1/) Ln w. Use this
function to solve the Dirichlet problem in Fig 6.14(a).

Ch20_37
Fig 6.14

Ch20_38
 Cont’d
Solution
The analytic function f(z) = sin z maps the original
region to the upper half-plane v  0 and maps the
boundary segments to the segments shown in Fig
6.14(b). The harmonic function U(u, v) = (1/) Arg w
satisfies the transferred boundary conditions U(u, 0) = 0
for u > 0 and U(u, 0) = 1 for u < 0.
1 1 cos x sinh y
u ( x, y )  tan  
  sin x cosh y 

Ch20_39
A favorite image region R for a simply connected
region R is the upper half-plane y  0. For any real
number a, the complex function
Ln(z – a) = loge|z – a| + i Arg (z – a)
is analytic in R and is a solution to the Dirichlet
problem shown in Fig 6.16.

Ch20_40
Fig 6.16

Ch20_41
It follows that the solution in R to the Dirichlet
problem with
 c0 , a  x  b
U ( x, 0)  
 0, otherwise
is the harmonic function
U(x, y) = (c0/)(Arg(z – b) – Arg(z – a))

Ch20_42
 6.3 Linear Fractional Transformations

Linear Fractional Transformation

If a, b, c, d are complex constants with ad – bc  0,
then the function
az  b
T ( z) 
cz  d
is called a llinear fractional transformation. Since
ad  bc
T '( z) 
(cz  d ) 2

Ch20_43
T is conformal at z provided
 = ad – bc  0 and z  −d/c.
Note when c  0, T(z) has a simple zero at z0 = −d/c,
and so
lim T ( z )  ,
z  z0

We will write T ( z0 )  . In addition, if c  0, then

a  b/ z a
lim T ( z )  lim  ,
z  z  c  d / z c
and we write T ()  a / c.

Ch20_44
 Example 1
If T(z) = (2z + 1)/(z – i), compute T(0), T(), T(i).
Solution
T (0)  1 /(i )  i, T ()  lim T ( z )  2,
z 

T (i )  lim T ( z )  , T (i )  
z i

Ch20_45
 Circle Preserving Property
If c = 0, the transformation reduces to a linear
function T(z) = Az + B. This is a composition of a
rotation, magnification, and translation. As such, a
linear function will map a circle in the z-plane to a
circle in the w-plane. When c  0,
az  b bc  ad 1 c
w   (1)
cz  d c cz  d a

Ch20_46
 bc  ad a
Letting A  , B  , T ( z ) can be written as
c c
1
z1  cz  d , z2  , w  Az2  B (2)
z1
1
Note that if z  z1  r , w  , then
z
1 1 w  w1
   r or w  w1  (r w1 ) w  0 (3)
w w1 w w1

Ch20_47
It is easy to show that all points w that satisfy
w  w1   w  w2 (4)
is a line when  = 1 and is a circle when  > 0 and 
 1. It follows from (3) that the image of the circle
|z – z1| = r under the inversion w = 1/z is a circle
except when r = 1/|w1| = |z1|.

Ch20_48
 THEOREM 20.3
Circle-Preserving Property

A linear fractional transformation maps a circle in the

z-plane to either a line or a circle in the w-plane. The
image is a line if and only if the original circle passes
through a pole of the linear fractional transformation.

Ch20_49
 Example 2
Find the images of the circles |z| = 1 and |z| = 2 under
T(z) = (z + 2)/(z – 1). What are the images of the
interiors of these circles?
Solution
The circle |z| = 1 passes through the pole z0 = 1 of the
linear transformation and so the image is a line. Since
T(−1) = −½ and T(i) = −(1/2) – (3/2)i, we conclude that
the line is u = −½.

Ch20_50
 Cont’d
The image of the interior |z| = 1 is either the half-plane
u < −½ or the half-plane u > −½. Using z = 0 as a test
point, T(0) = −2 and so the image is the half-plane u <
−½.
The circle |z| = 2 does not pass through the pole so the
image is a circle. For |z| = 2,

z2 z 2
z  2, T ( z )    T (z)
z 1 z 1

Ch20_51
 Example 2 (2)
Therefore T ( z ) is a point on the image circle
and the image circle is symmetric w.r.t. the u - axis.
Since T(−2) = 0 and T(2) = 4 the center of the circle is w
= 2 and the image is the circle |w – 2| = 2. The interior
of |z| = 2 is either the interior or the exterior of the
image |w – 2| = 2. Since T(0) = −2, we conclude that the
image is |w – 2| > 2. See Fig 6.33.

Ch20_52
Fig 6.33

Ch20_53
 Matrix Methods
We associate the matrix
a b az  b
A  with T ( z ) 
c d cz  d
a1 z  b1 a2 z  b2
If T1 ( z )  , T2 ( z )  ,
c1 z  d1 c2 z  d 2
az  b
then T2 (T1 ( z )) is given by T ( z ) 
cz  d

Ch20_54
where
 a b   a2 b2  a1 b1 
    (5)
 c d   c2 d 2  c1 d1 
az  b dw  b
If w  T ( z )  , then z 
cz  d  cw  a
1 dw  b
that is, T ( w)  , and the associated
 cw  a
 d  b
matrix is adj A    (6)
 c a 

Ch20_55
 Example 3
2z  1 z i
If T ( z )  and S ( z )  , find S -1 (T ( z )).
z2 iz  1
Solution
az  b
Let S (T ( z )) 
-1
, where
cz  d
a b  1  i   2  1
   adj    
c d   i  1  1 2 
  1 i  2  1   2  i  1  2i 
   , then
  i 1 1 2   1  2i 2i 
1 (2  i ) z  1  2i
S (T ( z )) 
(1  2i ) z  2  i
Ch20_56
 Triples to Triples
The linear fractional transformation
z  z1 z2  z3
T ( z) 
z  z3 z2  z1
has a zero at z = z1, a pole at z = z3 and T(z2) = 1. Thus
T(z) maps three distinct complex numbers z1, z2, z3 to
0, 1, and , respectively. The term
z  z1 z2  z3
The term is called the cross - ratio of
z  z3 z2  z1
z , z1, z2 , z3.

Ch20_57
Likewise, the linear fractional transformation
w  w1 w2  w3
S ( w) 
w  w3 w2  w1
sends w1, w2, w3 to 0, 1, and , and so S-1maps 0, 1,
and  to w1, w2, w3. It follows that w = S-1(T(z)) maps
the triple z1, z2, z3 to the triples w1, w2, w3. From w =
S-1(T(z)), we have S(w) = T(z) and
w  w1 w2  w3 z  z1 z2  z3
 (7)
w  w3 w2  w1 z  z3 z2  z1

Ch20_58
 Example 4
Construct a linear fractional transformation that maps
the points 1, i, −1 on the circle |z| = 1 to the points −1, 0
and 1 on the real x-axis.
Solution
From (7) we get
w 1 0 1 z 1i  1 w 1 z 1
 or   i
w  1 0  (1) z  1 i  1 w 1 z 1
Solving for w, we get w = −i(z – i)/(z + i).

Ch20_59
 Example 5
Construct a linear fractional transformation that maps
the points , 0, 1 on the real x-axis to the points 1, i, −1
on the circle |w| = 1.
Solution
Since z1 = , the terms z − z1 and z2 − z1 in the cross-
product are replaced by 1. Then
w 1i  1 1 0 1 w 1 1
 or S ( w)  i   T ( z)
w  1i 1 z 1 1 w 1 z 1

Ch20_60
 Cont’d
If we use the matrix method to find w = S-1(T(z)),

a b    i i   0  1   i  1  i 
   adj     
c d   1 1  1  1   i 1  i 
 iz  1  i z  1  i
and so w   .
 iz  1  i z  1  i

Ch20_61
 Example 6
Solve the Dirichlet problem in Fig 6.35(a) using
conformal mapping by constructing a linear fractional
transformation that maps the given region into the upper
half-plane.

Ch20_62
Fig 6.35(a)

Ch20_63
 Cont’d
Solution
The boundary circles |z| = 1 and |z – ½| = ½ each pass
through z = 1. We can map each boundary circle to a
line by selecting a linear fractional transformation that
has a pole at z = 1. If we require T(i) = 0 and T(-1) = 1,
then
z  i 11 z i
T ( z)   (1  i )
z 1 1 i z 1
Since T (0)  1  i, T ( 12  12 i)  1  i , T maps the interior
of |z| = 1 onto the upper half-plane and maps |z – ½| = ½
onto the line v = 1. See Fig 6.35(b).

Ch20_64
 Example 6 (3)
The harmonic function U(u, v) = v is the solution to the
simplified Dirichlet problem in the w-plane, and so u(x,
y) = U(T(z)) is the solution to the original Dirichlet
problem in the z-plane.
z i
Since the imaginary part of T ( z )  (1  i ) is
z 1
1  x2  y 2 1  x2  y 2
, the solution is u ( x, y ) 
( x  1)  y
2 2
( x  1)  y
2 2

Ch20_65
 Cont’d
The level curves u(x, y) = c can be written as
2 2
 x  c   y2   1 
   
 1 c  1  c 
and are therefore circles that pass through z = 1. See Fig
6.36.

Ch20_66
Fig 6.36

Ch20_67