The Inverse Laplace Transform

If L{x(t)}=X(s), then:
INVERSE LAPLACE TRANSFORMS -1 1 s 1 + j¥
L {X (s )} = x(t ) = ( )
st

2pj òs 1 - j¥
X s e ds

This is a complex inversion integral along a contour,

known as the Bromwitch path (the vertical line s=s1
from -j¥ to +j¥, in the s-plane); s1 must be within the
region of convergence and is called the abscissa of
convergence.
Adapted from EEE 35 : Signals and Systems

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Fortunately, L{x(t)} is UNIQUE so we can use Example:

the table of transform pairs (provided the form of s
X (s ) = , x(t ) = ?
(s + 1)(s + 2)
X(s) is present) instead of evaluating this integral.

k1 k2
X (s ) =
Determining x(t) from X(s):
+
INVERTING LAPLACE TRANSFORMS
(s + 1) (s + 2)

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 k1 k2 s = k1 (s + 2 ) + k 2 (s + 1)
X (s ) = +
(s + 1) (s + 2) s = (k1 + k 2 )s + (2k1 + k 2 )
If we know k1 and k2, the problem is solved The equation is satisfied for all values of s,
because each term is of the form: so let s=0:
0 = 2k1 + k 2
æ 1 ö
÷ « ke u (t ) let s=1:
- at
kç
ès+aø 1 = 3k1 + 2k 2
é s k1 k2 ù
ê (s + 1)(s + 2 ) (s + 1) (s + 2 ) ú (s + 1)(s + 2 )
= + 2k1 + k 2 = 0 two factors in denominator,
ë û 3k1 + 2k 2 = 1 two constants, two equations

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solving simultaneously, we get: k1 = -1, k 2 = 2 é s k1 k2 ù

ê (s + 1)(s + 2 ) = (s + 1) + (s + 2 ) ú (s + 1)
-1 2 ë û
thus, X (s ) = +
(s + 1) (s + 2) s k (s + 1)
= k1 + 2
x(t ) = L {X (s )} = é- e + 2e ùu (t )
-1 -t - 2t
(s + 2) (s + 2)
êë úû
let s+1=0, or s=-1.
This method is dependent on the number of factors in
-1
the denominator. If there are four, we need to solve = k1 + 0, k1 = -1
four equations, and so on. But if we multiply factors -1+ 2
one at a time and set it to zero: use the same method to get: k2=2.

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 Example: 6 s 2 +23s + 21
k2 = =1
6 s 2 +23s + 21 (s + 1)(s + 3) s =-2
X (s ) = , x(t ) = ?
(s + 1)(s + 2)(s + 3) k3 =
6 s 2 +23s + 21
=3
(s + 1)(s + 2) s =-3
6 s 2 +23s + 21 k k2 k
= 1 + + 3 2 1 3
(s + 1)(s + 2)(s + 3) (s + 1) (s + 2) (s + 3) thus, X (s ) = + +
(s + 1) (s + 2) (s + 3)
6 s 2 +23s + 21
k1 = =2
(s + 2)(s + 3) s =-1 and,
[ ]
x(t ) = 2e - t + e -2t + 3e -3t u (t )

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Things that can go wrong k1 k

X (s ) = + 2
(1) Repeated Denominators Factors
(s + 1) (s + 1)
s k +k
Example: = 1 2 We cannot find k1 and k2 to
s (s + 1) (s + 1)
2
make this equation valid.
X (s ) =
(s + 1)2
s Thus, we must demand that each denominator
= factor be different from the others.
(s + 1)(s + 1)

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 (2) Numerator Polynomial does not have a lower degree s 2 = k1 (s + 2 ) + k 2 (s + 1)
s 2 = (k1 + k 2 )s + (2k1 + k 2 )
Example:
s2 k k2 degree 2 degree 1
X (s ) = = 1 +
(s + 1)(s + 2) (s + 1) (s + 2) We cannot satisfy this equation if k1 and k2 are constants.
Thus, the degree of the numerator polynomial of
é s2 k1 k2 ù
ú (s + 1)(s + 2 )
X(s) must be strictly less than the degree of the
ê = +
ë (s + 1)(s + 2 ) (s + 1) (s + 2 ) û
denominator polynomial.
Note: Fortunately, for most of the circuits we’ll
encounter, the degree of the numerator polynomial
is less than that of the denominator polynomial.

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The Partial Fraction Expansion s 2 + 6 s + 11

Example: X (s ) = , x(t ) = ?
N (s ) (s + 2)3
If X (s ) = repeated factors
(s + a1 )(s + a2 )! (s + an )
k1 k2 kn taking out the “excess” factors:
then X (s ) = + +!
…
(s + a1 ) (s + a2 ) (s + an ) 1 é s 2 + 6 s + 11ù
X (s ) =
where ki = [(s + ai )X (s )] s = - a
(s + 2)2 êë (s + 2) úû
i

numerator polynomial
The degree of N(s) is less than n. has a higher degree

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 s+4
s 4 3
but s + 2 s + 6 s + 11
2
X (s ) = + +
- s 2 - 2s (s + 2) (s + 2) (s + 2)3
2 2

4 s + 11
- 4s - 8 s 1 é s ù
=
thus 3 (s + 2) (s + 2) êë (s + 2)úû
2
1
1 é 3 ù s+2 s
X (s ) = 2 ê
s+4+
(s + 2) ë (s + 2)úû -s-2
numerator
s 4 3 -2
not yet = + +
constant (s + 2)2 (s + 2)2 (s + 2)3

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s 1 é 2 ù 1 2 3
= 1- X (s ) = + +
(s + 2) (s + 2) ë (s + 2)úû
2 ê (s + 2) (s + 2) (s + 2)3
2

m -1
1 t - at
s 1 2 of the form: « e u (t )
= - (s + a )m
(m - 1)!
(s + 2) (s + 2) (s + 2)2
2

thus
1 2 4 3
X (s ) = - + +
x(t ) = ée ùu (t )
-2 t -2 t 2 -2 t
(s + 2) (s + 2) (s + 2) (s + 2)3
2 2
êë
+ 2te + 1.5t e
úû

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 1
dividing: s + 3s + 2 s
2 2
Example:
s2 - s 2 - 3s - 2
X ( s ) = L{x(t )} = , x(t ) = ? - 3s - 2
(s + 1)(s + 2)
thus, s2
= 1-
(3s + 2)
(s + 1)(s + 2) (s + 1)(s + 2)
s2 s2 numerator and
=
X(s) = (s + 1)(s + 2) s 2 + 3s + 2 denominator of N(s) of degree 1
degree 2
s2 ì -1 4 ü
= 1- í + ý
(s + 1)(s + 2) î (s + 1) (s + 2 ) þ

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s2 1 4 Example:
s+2
X(s) =
(s + 1)(s + 2)
= 1+ -
(s + 1) (s + 2) X (s ) = , x(t ) = ?
(s + 1)2 (s + 3)s
Taking the Inverse Laplace Transform of each term, s+2 1 ì s+2 ü
= í ý
(s + 1)2 (s + 3)s (s + 1) î (s + 1)(s + 3)s þ
x(t ) = d (t ) + e - t u (t ) - 4e -2t u (t ) 1 ì -21 -1
3 ü
-2
= + 6
+
note: If N(s) is of a higher degree (or equal to)
(s + 1) î (s + 1) (s + 3) s ýþ
í

the degree of the denominator, simply divide and -1 -1 -2

split the remainder. X (s ) = 2
+ 6
+ 3

(s + 1)2 (s + 1)(s + 3) s (s + 1)

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 -1
ì 12
-1 1
ü ì 23 -2
ü In the partial fraction expansion, we will often
X (s ) = 2
+í + 12
ý+í +
3
ý encounter:
(s + 1) î (s + 1) (s + 3)þ î s (s + 1)þ
2
X (s ) =
1
-1
(- 1 - 2 ) 1
= 2 2 + 12 3 + 12 + 3
2
(s + a )m
(s + 1) (s + 1) (s + 3) s The inverse Laplace of X(s) is just:
( -1 ) (3 ) ( 1 ) (2 )
X (s ) = 2 2 - 4 + 12 + 3 , x(t ) = ? x(t ) =
t m -1 - at
e u (t )
(s + 1) (s + 1) (s + 3) s (m - 1)!
x(t ) = é
êë
( )te + ( )e + ( )e
-1
2
-t
3
4
-t
1
12
-3t
+ ( )ùúûu(t )
2
3
VERIFY: use 1
«
tn
u (t ) & frequency shift
s n +1 n!
note: For repeated factors in the denominator, factor out the “excess”.

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COMPLEX FACTORS s -1- j2

ìï üï k1 = =
-1
L s (s + 1 - j 2) s =-1- j 2 - 1 - j 2 + 1 - j 2
Example: Find í 2 ý
ïî s + 2 s + 5 ïþ
s s -1- j2 j - j1+ 2
= = × =
s + 2 s + 5 (s + 1 + j 2 )(s + 1 - j 2 )
2 - j4 j 4

k1 k2 2 - j1
= + =
(s + 1 + j 2) (s + 1 - j 2) 4
s k1 k2
= +
(s + 1 + j 2)(s + 1 - j 2) (s + 1 + j 2) (s + 1 - j 2)

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 s -1+ j2 2 - j1 2 + j1
k2 = = k1 = , k2 =
(s + 1 + j 2) s =-1+ j 2 - 1 + j 2 + 1 + j 2 4 4
note : k1 = k 2*
-1+ j2 j - j1 - 2
= × =
j4 j -4 æ 2 - j1 ö æ 2 + j1 ö
ç ÷ ç ÷
è 4 ø è 4 ø
2 + j1 X (s ) = +
= (s + 1 + j 2) (s + 1 - j 2)
4
ìæ 2 - j1 ö (-1- j 2 )t æ 2 + j1 ö (-1+ j 2 )t ü
x(t ) = íç ÷e +ç ÷e ýu (t )
îè 4 ø è 4 ø þ
complex

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ìæ 2 - j1 ö - j 2t æ 2 + j1 ö j 2t ü -t
x(t ) = íç ÷e +ç ÷e ýe u (t ) For complex factors in the denominator of X(s):
îè 4 ø è 4 ø þ
N (s )
X (s ) =
ì2
( )
x(t ) = í e j 2t + e - j 2t +
î4
(
j1 j 2t
4
) ü
e - e - j 2t ýe -t u (t )
þ
( )
(s + a0 ) s + a0* D(s )
ì2 æ e + e
j 2t - j 2t
ö ( j1) æ e - e - j 2t öü -t
2 j 2t
x(t ) = í çç ÷÷ + çç ÷÷ýe u (t ) where a0* ® complex conjugate of a0
2
î è 2 ø 2 è 2 j øþ (Im{a0*}=-Im{a0})
cos 2t sin 2t
and D(s) all denominator factors
1
x(t ) = (2 cos 2t - sin 2t )e -t u (t ) other than a0 and a0*.
2

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 The following properties of complex numbers
X(s) may then be reduced in this manner:
may be used:

k0 ko* (as1 + bs2 )* = as1* + bs2*

( )
X s = + + R(s )
(
(s + a0 ) s + a0* ) (s1s2 )* = s1*s2*
*
æ s1 ö s1*
where R(s) ® rest of the terms in the PFE.
çç ÷÷ = *
è s2 ø s2
( )
Q* (s ) = Q s *
polynomial in s, with
real coefficients
PROOF: solve the PFE of X(s)
R (s ) = R (s )
* * rational function of s, with
real coefficients

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