Department of Computer Eng.

Sharif University of Technology

Discrete-time signal processing

Chapter 3:
THE Z-TRANSFORM

Content and Figures are from Discrete-Time Signal Processing, 2e by Oppenheim, Shafer and Buck, 1999-2000
3.1 The Z-Transform
Counterpart of the Laplace transform for discrete-time
signals
Generalization of the Fourier Transform
Fourier Transform does not exist for all signals
Definition:
X z x n z n

Compare to DTFT definition:

x n e

j jn
X e
n

z is a complex variable that can be represented as z=r ej

Substituting z=ej will reduce the z-transform to DTFT

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 2

3.1 The Z-Transform

x n x n z n
X ( z) z
n

x n
X ( z)
z

X ( z ) x n z n z
n 0
j
z re : :r
The z-transform and the DTFT

Convenient to describe on the complex z-plane

If we plot z=ej for =0 to 2 we get the unit circle
Im
X e j

Unit Circle

r=1
0
Re
2 0 2

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 4

Convergence of the z-Transform

X e x n e

DTFT does not always converge j j n

n
Example: x[n] = anu[n] for |a|>1 does not have a DTFT

Complex variable z can be written as r ej so the z-

transform
X re x n re x n r n e jn

j j n

n n

convert to the DTFT of x[n] multiplied with

exponential sequence r n

For certain choices of r the sum x n r
n
-n

maybe made finite

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 5

Region of Convergence (ROC)

ROC: The set of values of z for which the z-transform converges

The region of convergence is made of circles

Example: z-transform converges

Im
for values of 0.5<r<2
ROC is shown on the left
In this example the ROC includes the
unit circle, so DTFT exists
Re

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 6

Region of Convergence (ROC)

Example:

x n cos o n
Doesn't converge for any r.
DTFT exists.
It has finite energy.
DTFT converges in a mean square sense.

Example:
sin c n
Doesn't converge for any r. x n
It doesnt have even finite n
energy.
But we define a useful DTFT
with impulse function.
Example 1: Right-Sided Exponential
Sequence
Im
az

xn a un
n
X z a unz n n
1 n

n n0

For Convergence we require

n

n0
az 1
a 1
o x Re
Hence the ROC is defined as
n
az 1 1 z a

Inside the ROC series converges to

Region outside the
X z az

1 1 nz
n0 1 az

za
circle of radius a is the
1

ROC
Right-sided sequence
ROCs extend outside a
Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 8
Example 2: Left-Sided Exponential
Sequence

x n a u n 1 n
()

X z n a n u n 1 z n n a n z n
1

n 1 a 1 z n

1 n 0 a 1 z

n

ROC :

n 0
1 n 1
a z a z 1 z a a

1 1 z
X z 1 1
1

1 a z 1 az za
Example 3: Two-Sided Exponential
Sequence
1 1
ROC : z 1
n n 3
1 1
xn un - u- n - 1 1
3 2 z
3
0

1 1 1 1 1 1
n z z ROC : z 1
1 3 3 1
z 1 2
3 1 1
n 0
1 z 1 1 z 1 1
3 3 z
2
0 Im
1 1 1
n z z 1
1 1
1
2 2 1
z
n 2

1

1
1 z 1 1 z 1
2 2 1 1

3x 2
1 oo x
2z z 1
1 1 12
X z 12
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 z 1 z z z
3 2 3 2

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 10

 Example 4: Finite Length Sequence

x n a u n u n N
n
x n
an 0 n N 1
0 otherwise

N 1 N 1
X ( z ) a n z n az
1 n


1 az 1 N

n 0 n 0 1 az 1
1 zN aN

z N 1 za

ROC :
N 1

az
n 0
1 n
az 1 z 0 N=16
Pole-zero plot

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 11

Some common Z-transform pairs

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 12

Some common Z-transform pairs

SEQUENCE TRANSFORM ROC

n 1 ALL z

u n 1 z 1
1 z 1
1
u n 1 z 1
1 z 1
m All z except 0 if m 0
n m z or if m 0
Some common Z-transform pairs

1
a u n
n

Z
ROC : z a
1 az 1
1
a n u n 1 Z ROC : z a
1 az 1
az 1
na n u n Z ROC : z a
1 az
1 2

az 1
na u n 1
n Z
ROC : z a
1 az
1 2

cos 0 n u n Z
1 cos 0 z 1
ROC : z 1
1 2 cos 0 z 1 z 2
Some common Z-transform pairs

sin 0 n u n Z
sin 0 z 1 ROC : z 1
1 2 cos 0 z 1 z 2

r n

cos 0 n u n Z
1 r cos 0 z 1
ROC : z r
1 2r cos 0 z 1 r 2 z 2

r n

sin 0 n u n
Z r sin 0 z 1 ROC : z r
1 2r cos 0 z 1 r 2 z 2

an 0 n N 1 1 a N z N
Z ROC : z 0
0 otherwise 1 az 1
3.2 Properties of The ROC of Z-
Transform
The ROC is a ring or disk centered at the origin
DTFT exists if and only if the ROC includes the unit circle
The ROC cannot contain any poles
The ROC for finite-length sequence is the entire z-plane
except possibly z=0 and z=
The ROC for a right-handed sequence extends outward from
the outermost pole possibly including z=
The ROC for a left-handed sequence extends inward from
the innermost pole possibly including z=0
The ROC of a two-sided sequence is a ring bounded by poles
The ROC must be a connected region
A z-transform does not uniquely determine a sequence
without specifying the ROC

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 16

Stability, Causality, and the ROC

Consider a system with impulse response h[n]

The z-transform H(z) and the pole-zero plot shown
below
Without any other information h[n] is not uniquely
determined
|z|>2 or |z|< or <|z|<2
If system stable ROC must include unit-circle: <|z|<2
If system is causal must be right sided: |z|>2

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 17

3.4 Z-Transform Properties: Linearity

Notation
xn Z X z ROC R x

Linearity
ax1 n bx2 n Z aX1 z bX2 z ROC R x1 R x2

Note that the ROC of combined sequence may be larger than either
ROC
This would happen if some pole/zero cancellation occurs
xn anun - anun - N
Example:

Both sequences are right-sided

Both sequences have a pole z=a
Both have a ROC defined as |z|>|a|
In the combined sequence the pole at z=a cancels with a zero at
z=a
The combined ROC is the entire z plane except z=0

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 18

Z-Transform Properties: Time Shifting

xn no Z z no X z ROC R x

Here no is an integer
If positive the sequence is shifted right
If negative the sequence is shifted left
The ROC can change
The new term may add or remove poles at z=0 or z=
Example

1 1
X z z
1
z
1 1 4
1 z
4

n-1
1
xn un - 1
4

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 19

Z-Transform Properties: Multiplication by
Exponential
zno xn Z X z / zo ROC zo R x

ROC is scaled by |zo|

All pole/zero locations are scaled
If zo is a positive real number: z-plane shrinks or
expands
If zo is a complex number with unit magnitude it
1
rotates un Z
ROC : z 1
-1
1- z
Example: We know the z-transform pair
xn r n cos onun
1
2
1

re jo un re jo un
n

2
n

Lets find the z-transform

1/2 of 1/2
X z z r
1 re jo z 1 1 re jo z 1

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 20

Z-Transform Properties: Differentiation

dX z
nxn Z z ROC R x
dz

Example: We want the inverse z-transform of

X z log1 az 1
z a

Lets differentiate to obtain rational expression

dX z az 2 dX z 1 1
z az
dz 1 az 1 dz 1 az 1

Making use of z-transform properties and ROC

nxn a a un 1
n 1

an
xn 1 un 1
n 1

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 21

Z-Transform Properties: Conjugation

x* n Z X* z* ROC R x

X z x n z n
n


n

X z x n z x n z n

n n

z x n z x n

X n
z n Z x n
n n

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 22

Z-Transform Properties: Time Reversal

1
x n Z
X1 / z ROC
Rx
ROC is inverted
Example: xn anu n

un
Time reversed version aof
n

1 - a-1z 1
X z z a1
1 az 1 - a-1z 1

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 23

Z-Transform Properties: Convolution

x1 n x2 n Z X1 z X2 z ROC : R x1 R x2

Convolution in time domain is multiplication in z-

domain
Example: Lets calculate thex convolution
x n a un and n un
1
of n
2

1 1
X1 z ROC : z a X2 z ROC : z 1
1 az 1 1 z 1

Multiplications Yof
z z-transforms
X zX z
1is
1 2
1 az 1 z
1 1

ROC: if |a|<1 ROC is |z|>1 if |a|>1 ROC is |z|>|a|

Partial 1

1
Y z fractional
a
expansion
1 assume ROC :of
z 1Y(z)
1
yn
1
1
a
un a un
n1

1 a 1 z 1 az

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 24

Some Z-transform properties

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 25

3.3 The Inverse Z-Transform

Formal inverse z-transform is based on a Cauchy

integral
Less formal ways sufficient most of the time
Inspection method
Partial fraction expansion
Power series expansion
Inspection Method
Make use of known z-transform1 pairs such as
a un n
z aZ

1 az 1

Example: The inverse

1 z-transform
1 of n
1
X z z xn un
1 2 2
1 z 1
2

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 26

Inverse Z-Transform by Partial Fraction
Expansion
Assume that a given z-transform M can be expressed as
bk z k

X z k N 0

k 0
ak z k
Apply partial fractional expansion
M N N
Ak s
Cm
X z Br z
r

r 0 k 1,k i
1
1 dk z 1 m
m 1 1 d z
i

First term exist only if M>N

Br is obtained by long division
Second term represents all first order poles
Third term represents an order s pole
There will be a similar term for every high-order pole
Each term can be inverse transformed by inspection

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 27

Inverse Z-Transform by Partial Fraction
Expansion
M N N
Ak s
Cm
X z B z r

r 0
r
k 1,k i 1 dk z 1

m 1 1 d z
i
1
m

Coefficients are given as

Ak 1 dk z 1 X z z d
k

Cm
1
s m! di s m
ds m

dw s m
1 diw s
X w 1

w di1

Easier to understand with examples

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 28

Example 5: 2nd Order Z-Transform

1 1
X z ROC : z
1 1 1 1 2
1 z 1 z
4 2

A1 A2
X z
1 1 1 1
1 z 1 z
4 2

1 1
A 1 1 z 1 X z 1
4 1

1 1 1
1
z
4
2 4

1 1
A 2 1 z 1 X z 2
2 1

1 1 1
1
z
2
4 2

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 29

Example 5 Continued

1 2 1
X z z
1 1 1 1 2
1 z 1 z
4 2

ROC extends to infinity

Indicates right sided sequence

n n
1 1
xn 2 un - un
2 4

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 30

Example 6

X z
1 2z 1 z 2

1 z 1 2

z 1
3 1 1 2
1 z z
2 2

1 1
1 z 1z
2
1

Long division to obtain Bo

2 A1 A2
1 2 3 1 X z 2
1 1
1 z 1 1 z
2 1
z z 1 z 2z 1
2 2 2
z 2 3z 1 2
5z 1 1 1
A 1 1 z 1 X z 9
2 z
1
2
1 5z 1
X z 2


1
2


1 z 1 1 z 1
A 2 1 z 1 X z 8
z 1

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 31

Example 5 Continued

9 8
X z 2 z 1
1 1 1 z 1
1 z
2

ROC extends to infinity

Indicates right-sided sequence

n
1
xn 2n 9 un - 8un
2

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 32

Inverse Z-Transform by Power Series
Expansion
The z-transform is power series

X z x n z
n
n

In expanded form
X z x 2 z 2 x 1 z 1 x 0 x1 z 1 x 2 z 2

Z-transforms of this form can generally be inversed

easily

Especially useful for finite-length series

Chapter 3: The Z-Transform 33

Example 6

1



X z z2 1 z 1 1 z 1 1 z 1
2


1 1
z2 z 1 z 1
2 2

1 1
xn n 2 n 1 n n 1
2 2

1 n 2
1
2 n 1

xn 1 n 0
1
2 n1
0 n2