Complex Fourier Series

Muhammad Nadeem

In many cases, the complex Fourier series is easier to obtain rather
than the trigonometric Fourier series

Recall that, Euler’s identity,

e ± ix = cos x ± i sin x
yields

e ix + e − ix eix − e −ix
cos x = and sin x =
2 2i
Then the Fourier series representation becomes

∞
f ( x) = a0 + ∑ (an cos nωx + bn sin nωx)
n =1

∞   einωx + e −inωx   e inωx − e −inωx 

= a0 + ∑ an   + bn  
n =1   2   2i 
∞   einωx + e −inωx   e inωx − e −inωx 
= a0 + ∑ an   − ibn  
n =1   2   2 
∞
 an − ibn  inωx  an + ibn  −inωx 
= a0 + ∑  e +  e 
n =1   2   2  
∞
 an − ibn  inωx ∞  an + ibn  −inωx
= a0 + ∑  e + ∑  e
n =1  2  n =1  2 
 an − ibn , an + ibn c0 = a0
Here, let we name cn = c− n = and
2 2
∞
 an − ibn  inωx ∞  an + ibn  −inωx
Hence,
f ( x ) = a0 + ∑  e + ∑  e
n =1  2  n =1  2 
c0 cn c−n
∞ ∞
= c0 + ∑ cn einωx + ∑ c− n e −inωx
n =1 n =1
∞ −∞
= c0 + ∑ cn e inωx
+ ∑ cn einωx
n =1 n = −1
−1 ∞
= c0 + ∑ cn e
n = −∞
inωx
+ ∑ cn e inωx
n =1
∞
= c0 + ∑n
c e inωx

n = −∞
n≠0
Then, the coefficient cn can be derived from

an − ibn
cn =
2
T T
12 i 2
= ∫ f ( x) cos nωxdx − ∫ f ( x) sin nωxdx
2T 0 2T 0
1 
T T
=  ∫ f ( x) cos nωxdx − i ∫ f ( x) sin nωxdx
T 0 0 
T
1
= ∫ f ( x)[cos nωx − i sin nωx]dx
T 0
T
1
= ∫ f ( x)e −inωx dx
T 0
In summary, Complex Fourier series of
function f(x) is:
∞
f ( x) = co + ∑n
c e inωx

n = −∞
n≠0

Where complex Fourier coefficients are:

T T
1 1
co = ∫ f ( x)dx cn = ∫ f ( x)e −inωx dx
T 0 T 0

2π
ω=
T
 Obtain the complex Fourier series of the following
Example
function
f ( x) = e x if 0 < x < 2π f ( x + 2π ) = f ( x)

Solution The function is described by the following graph:

f (x)

e 2π

1
x
− 4π − 2π 0 2π 4π

T = 2π ⇒ 2π
ω= =1
T
So complex Fourier series of function f(x) is:
∞
f ( x) = co + ∑n
c e inx

n = −∞
n≠0
Where complex Fourier coefficients are:
2π 2π
1 1
co =
2π ∫
0
f ( x)dx cn =
2π ∫ f ( x)e −inx dx
0

T 2π
1 1
c0 = ∫ f ( x)d x = ∫ e dx
x

T 0
2π 0

e 2π − 1
=
1 x
2π
e [ ] 2π
0 =
2π
 T 2π
1 −inωx 1 x −inx
cn =
T ∫
0
f ( x )e dx =
2π ∫e e
0
dx

2π
1 (1−in ) x
=
2π ∫e
0
dx

(1−in ) x 2π
1 e 
=  
2π  1 − in  0
e 2π (1−in ) − 1 e 2π e −i 2 nπ − 1 e 2π − 1
= = =
2π (1 − in) 2π (1 − in) 2π (1 − in)

− i 2 nπ
∴e = cos 2nπ − i sin 2nπ = 1 − 0 = 1
 Therefore, the complex Fourier series of f (x) is
∞
f ( x) = co + ∑n
c e inx

n = −∞
n≠0

e 2π − 1 ∞ e 2π − 1 inx
= +∑ e ♣
2π n = −∞ 2π (1 − in)
n≠0

*Notes: Even though c0 can be found by substituting cn with n = 0,

sometimes it doesn’t works (as shown in the next example). Therefore, it
is always better to calculate c0 alone.

e 2π − 1 e 2π − 1
cn = = = c0
n =0
2π (1 − in) n =0 2π
 Obtain the complex Fourier series of the following
Example
function
1, 0 < t < 1
f (t ) =  f (t + 2) = f (t )
0, 1 < t < 2
Solution
The function is described by the following graph:

2π
T =2⇒ ω = =π
T
T=2 ∞

So complex Fourier series of function f(t) is:

f (t ) = co + ∑n
c e inπt

n = −∞
n≠0
Where complex Fourier coefficients are:

T
1 1
T
co = ∫ f (t )dt f (t )e −inπt dt
T 0
cn =
T ∫
0
 1
T
1
2
1  1 2
 1
c0 =
T ∫
0
f (t )dt = ∫ f (t )dt =  ∫ 1dt + ∫ 0dt  =
20 2 0 1  2
T 2
1 − inπt 1
cn = ∫ f (t )e dt = ∫ f (t )e −inπt dt
T 0
20
1  1
− inπt
2
− inπt

=  ∫ 1e dt + ∫ 0e dt 
2 0 1 
− inπt 1
1e  i −inπ i
=   = (e − 1) = [(−1) − 1]
n

2  − inπ  0 2nπ 2 nπ
∴ e − inπ = cos nπ − i sin nπ = cos nπ = (−1) n
 i − i / nπ , n odd
Thus, cn = [(−1) − 1] = 
n

2 nπ  0 , n even

*Here notice that cn n =0

≠ c0
∞
Therefore, the complex
Fourier series of f (t) is
f (t ) = co + ∑n
c e inωt

n = −∞
n≠0

1 ∞ i
= +∑ [(−1) n − 1]einπx
2 n = −∞ 2nπ
n≠0

1 ∞ i jnπt
= −∑ e
2 n = −∞ nπ ♣
n≠0
n odd