21.

The Fourier Transform in optics, II

Parsevals Theorem
The Shift theorem
Convolutions and the Convolution Theorem
Autocorrelations and the Autocorrelation Theorem
The Shah Function in optics
The Fourier Transform of a train of pulses

Parsevals Theorem

Parsevals Theorem says that the energy

in a function is the same, whether you
integrate over time or frequency:

f (t )

dt =

1
=
2

1
2

1
2

f (t ) f *(t ) dt

1
F ( ) exp( jt ) d
2

1
F ( )
2

F ( )

1
2

F *( ) exp( j t ) d dt

F *( ') exp( j[ '] t ) dt d ' d

F *( ') [2 ( ')] d ' d

F ( ) F *( ) d =

1
2

F ( ) d

F() d

1
=
2

1
2

Proof:

f (t) dt =

The Fourier
Transform of a
sum of two
functions

F {af (t) + bg(t)} =

a F { f (t)} + b F { g(t)}
The FT of a sum is the
sum of the FTs.
Also, constants factor out.

F()

f(t)

t
G()

g(t)

f(t)+g(t)

F() +
G()

This property reflects the fact that the Fourier transform is a

linear operation.

Shift Theorem
The Fourier transform of a shifted function, f (t a) :

F { f (t a)} = exp( j a) F ( )
Proof :
F { f ( t a )} =

f (t a) exp( jt )dt

Change variables : u = t a

f (u ) exp( j[u + a]) du

= exp( j a ) f (u ) exp( ju ) du

= exp( j a) F ( )

QED

Application of the Shift Theorem in optics

Suppose that were measuring the spectrum of a light wave, E(t), but a
small fraction of the irradiance of this light, say , takes a different path
that also leads to the spectrometer.
The extra light has the field,
taken by the weak beam.

E (t a) , where a is the extra path

The measured spectrum is the mag-squared FT of the total field:

2

S ( ) = F {E (t ) + E (t a )}

E (t a )

Using the Shift Theorem:

= E ( ) + exp( j a) E ( )
2

= E ( ) 1 + exp( j a)
2

= E ( ) 1 + cos( a ) j sin( a)

= E ()

E(t)

Spectrometer

E(t)
2

1 + 2 cos( a) + cos2 ( a) + sin 2 ( a)

Application of the Shift Theorem (contd)

= E ( )

{1 + 2

cos( a ) +

Neglecting compared to and 1:

= E ( )

{1 + 2

cos( a)

The contaminated spectrum will have ripples with a period of 2/a.

And, these ripples will have a

surprisingly large amplitude:

If =1% (a seemingly small amount), these ripples will have an

amazingly large amplitude of 2 = 20%!

The Convolution
The convolution allows one function to smear or broaden another.

f (t ) g (t )

f ( x) g (t x) dx

f (t x) g ( x) dx

changing variables:
x
t-x

The convolution
can sometimes
be performed
visually
Here, rect(x) * rect(x)
= Triangle(x)

Convolution with a delta function

f (t ) (t a) =

f (t u ) (u a) du

= f (t a)
Convolution with a delta function simply centers the
function on the delta-function, without changing its shape.
This convolution does not smear out f(t).

The Convolution Theorem

The Convolution Theorem says that the FT of a convolution is
the product of the Fourier Transforms:

F{f (t ) g (t )} = F ( ) G ( )
Proof:

F { f (t ) g (t )} = f ( x) g (t x) dx exp( j t ) dt

= f ( x) g (t x) exp( jt ) dt dx

Shift Theorem

f ( x) {G ( ) exp( j x)} dx

f ( x) exp( j x) dx G ( ) = F ( )G ( )

The Convolution Theorem in action

rect( x) rect( x) = Triangle( x)

F{rect( x)} = sinc(k )

Therefore:

and

sinc(k ) sinc(k ) = sinc2 (k )

F{Triangle( x)} = sinc 2 (k )

The Autocorrelation
The autocorrelation of a function f(x) is given by the convolution of the
function with itself:

ff =

f (t ) f (t t ) dt

The shaded area is the value of the autocorrelation for

the displacement x.

In optics, we often define the autocorrelation

with a complex conjugate:

f (t ) f * (t t ) dt

The Autocorrelation Theorem

The Fourier transform of the autocorrelation of a function is
equal to the spectrum of the function:

Proof:

2
F f (t) f *(t t) dt = F { f (t)}

F f (t ) f *(t t ) dt = exp( jt ) f (t) f *(t t ) dt dt

*
= f (t ) exp( jt ) f (t t ) dt dt

*
= f (t ) exp( j y) f (t + y) dy dt = f (t) [ F ()exp( jt)] *dt

f (t)exp( jt ) dt F *() = F () F *() = F ()

The Autocorrelation Theorem in optics

2
2
F E(t) E *(t t) dt = F { E(t)} = E() = S ()

= the spectrum of the light!

The Fourier transform of a light-wave fields autocorrelation is its spectrum!

This relation yields an alternative technique for measuring a light waves
spectrum. It is used extensively for measuring the spectrum of light in
the infrared, a technique known as Fourier transform infrared
spectroscopy (FTIR).
This version of the Autocorrelation
Theorem is known as the WienerKhinchin Theorem.

Norbert Wiener
1894-1964
Aleksandr Khinchin
1894-1959

Fourier-transform spectroscopy
FT spectroscopy is one of the most widely used
techniques in chemical analysis.

See: http://www.wooster.edu/chemistry/analytical/ftir/default.html

The Shah Function

The Shah function, III(x), is an infinitely long train of equally
spaced delta-functions.

III ( x ) =

( x n)
n =

The symbol III is pronounced shah after the Cyrillic character , which is
said to have been modeled on the Hebrew letter
(shin) which, in turn,
may derive from the Egyptian
a hieroglyph depicting papyrus plants
along the Nile.

The Fourier Transform of the

Shah Function
F { III ( t )} =
=

(t m) exp( jt )dt

m =

(t m) exp( jt )dt

m =

exp( j m)

m =

If = 2n, where n is an integer, the sum diverges;

otherwise, cancellation occurs, and the sum vanishes.
So:

F {III ( t )} III ( 2 )

The Fourier transform of the Shah function is another Shah function.

The Shah Function in optics

An infinite train of identical pulses (for example, from a laser)
can be written as a convolution:

E (t ) = III(t / T ) f (t )
=

f (t / T m)

m =

where f(t) is the shape of each pulse and T is the time between pulses.

The Fourier Transform of an

infinite train of pulses
An infinite train of identical
pulses can be written:

E (t ) = III(t / T ) f (t )
where f(t) represents a single pulse and T is the time between pulses.
The Convolution Theorem states that the Fourier Transform of a
convolution is the product of the Fourier Transforms. So:

E ( ) III (T / 2 ) F ( )

This train of pulses might result from a single pulse bouncing back and
forth inside a laser cavity, with round-trip time T. The spacing between
frequencies is then = 2/T or = 1/T.

Modes of a laser
A lasers frequencies are often called longitudinal modes.
They are separated by 1/T = c/L, where L is the round-trip length
of the laser.

Intensity

Here,
additional
narrowband
filtering has
yielded a
single mode.
Frequency

Some lasers are single mode - only one longitudinal mode oscillates at
any one time.
Some are multi-mode - emitting more than one frequency at a time.