Fourier Transform of a Unit Step Function

The unit step function is 

1 if u ≥ 0


u(t) = 
0 if u < 0


and the signum function is 

 1 if u ≥ 0


sgn(t) = 
−1 if u < 0.


These two functions are related by the equation

1 + sgn(t)
u(t) = .
2
2
Theorem 0.1. The Fourier transform of sgn(t) is F(ω) = jω
.
Proof. Note that (with a > 0):

sgn(t) = lim e−at u(t) − eat u(−t) .

a→0

Thus,

F sgn(t) = lim F e−at u(t) − F eat u(−t)

a→0
Z ∞ Z 0 !
−at − jωt at − jωt
= lim e e dt − e e dt
a→0 0 −∞
−1 1 ∞ 0 !
= lim · e−(a+ jω)t  −
·e(a− jω)t 
a→0 a + jω a − jω 0
−∞
!
−1 1
= lim · (0 − 1) − · (1 − 0)
a→0 a + jω a − jω
!
1 1
= lim −
a→0 a + jω a − jω
−2 jω
= lim 2
a→0 a + ω2
2
=
jω

1
Theorem 0.2. The Fourier transform of u(t) is F(ω) = jω
+ πδ(ω).
Proof. The theorem above shows that
2
sgn(t) ←→ .
jω

1
We also know that
1 ←→ 2πδ(ω).
Thus,
!
1

F (u(t)) = F 1 + sgn(t)
2
1 1

= F (1) + F sgn(t)
2 2 !
1 1 2
= (πδ(ω)) +
2 2 jω
1
= πδ(ω) +
jω