LAPLACE TRANSFORMS FOR CONTROL SYSTEMS

An operator takes a function as input and outputs another function. A transform takes a function as input, but
the output function has a different independent variable.

Definition of Laplace transform for control systems (causal signals: equal to 0 for t<0):

∞
ℒ(𝑓(𝑡)) = ∫ 𝑓(𝑡) 𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑡
0

for all values of s for which the integral converges.

This Laplace transform ℒ(𝑓(𝑡)) is usually denoted as 𝐹(𝑠).

Notes:
1) The Laplace transform takes a function 𝑓(𝑡) and produces a function 𝐹(𝑠).
2) Here, s can be a complex variable (think of it as a complex frequency).
3) You should think of 𝑓(𝑡) and 𝐹(𝑠) as two views of the same object. If we have a signal, then 𝑓(𝑡) is the
familiar view of that signal in time and 𝐹(𝑠) is the less familiar view in frequency. Everything about the
signal is present in both views, but some things are easier to see in one view or the other.

Benefits of Laplace transform view:

1) You can clearly see the long-term behavior of 𝑓(𝑡).
2) You can draw what is called a pole diagram of 𝐹(𝑠), which gives a succinct summary of some of the
important properties of 𝑓(𝑡).
3) It allows us to easily compute the transfer function for many linear systems, analyse block diagrams,
using simple algebra. It is an important engineering design tool.

THE LAPLACE TRANSFORM IS LINEAR (because integrals are linear):

ℒ((𝑓 + 𝑔)(𝑡)) = ℒ(𝑓(𝑡)) + ℒ(𝑔(𝑡))

ℒ(𝑐 𝑓(𝑡)) = 𝑐 ℒ(𝑓(𝑡))

J. Iyer & N. Pinel Version: 2023-12-05 1/4

 Table of Laplace transforms for control systems
(causal signals: equal to 0 for t<0)

Time-domain signal 𝒇(𝒕) Laplace transform 𝑭(𝒔) Region of convergence

1 1 1 Re(𝑠) > 0
𝑠
2 𝑡𝑛 𝑛! Re(𝑠) > 0
𝑛 is an integer 𝑠 𝑛+1

𝑡 1 Re(𝑠) > 0
𝑠2
𝑡2 2 Re(𝑠) > 0
𝑠3
3 𝑒 𝑘𝑡 1 Re(𝑠) > Re(𝑘)
𝑘 is a constant 𝑠−𝑘

4 cos(𝑎𝑡) 𝑠 Re(𝑠) > 0

𝑎 is a real constant 𝑠 2 + 𝑎2

5 sin(𝑎𝑡) 𝑎 Re(𝑠) > 0

𝑎 is a real constant 𝑠2 + 𝑎2

6 𝑓′(𝑡) 𝑠 𝐹(𝑠) − 𝑓(0) , Re(𝑠) > 𝑘

𝑓(𝑡) is of exponential type:
|𝑓(𝑡)| ≤ 𝑀𝑒 𝑘𝑡 , 𝐹(𝑠) is the Laplace transform of 𝑓(𝑡)
for some 𝑀 and 𝑘

7 𝑓′′(𝑡) 𝑠 2 𝐹(𝑠) − 𝑠 𝑓(0) − 𝑓′(0) , Re(𝑠) > 𝑘

𝑓(𝑡) is of exponential type:
|𝑓(𝑡)| ≤ 𝑀𝑒 𝑘𝑡 , 𝐹(𝑠) is the Laplace transform of 𝑓(𝑡)
for some 𝑀 and 𝑘

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NOTE: Shifting effect of 𝒆𝒌𝒕

1 1
1) ℒ(𝑡) = 𝑠2 ℒ(𝑒 𝑘𝑡 𝑡) = (𝑠−𝑘)2
𝑠 𝑠−𝑘
2) ℒ(cos 𝑎𝑡) = 𝑠2 +𝑎2 ℒ(𝑒 𝑘𝑡 cos 𝑎𝑡) = (𝑠−𝑘)2 +𝑎2
𝑠 𝑠−𝑘
3) ℒ(sin 𝑎𝑡) = 𝑠2 +𝑎2 ℒ(𝑒 𝑘𝑡 sin 𝑎𝑡) = (𝑠−𝑘)2 +𝑎2

EXAMPLES OF FINDING LAPLACE TRANSFORMS

1 2
1) ℒ(1 + 𝑡 2 ) = 𝑠 + 𝑠3

1 2
2) ℒ(𝑒 −𝑡 (1 + 𝑡 2 )) = 𝑠+1 + (𝑠+1)3

3) Let 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑡 2 + 2𝑡 + 1; all initial conditions are 0. Calculate ℒ(𝑓 ′′ (𝑡)).

ℒ(𝑓 ′′ (𝑡)) = 𝑠 2 ℒ(𝑓(𝑡)) − 𝑠𝑓(0) − 𝑓 ′ (0) = 𝑠 2 ℒ(𝑡 2 + 2𝑡 + 1) − 𝑠. 0 − 0

2! 1! 1 2
= 𝑠 2 ( 3 + 2. 3 + ) = + 2 + 𝑠
𝑠 𝑠 𝑠 𝑠

EXAMPLES OF FINDING INVERSE LAPLACE TRANSFORMS

1
1) ℒ −1 ( )
𝑠−2
1
ℒ −1 ( ) = 1
𝑠
1
⇒ ℒ −1 ( ) = 𝑒 2𝑡 . 1 = 𝑒 2𝑡
𝑠−2

1
2) ℒ −1 (𝑠2 +9)
1 1 3 1
ℒ −1 ( 2 ) = ℒ −1 ( . 2 2
) = sin 3𝑡
𝑠 +9 3 𝑠 +3 3

4
3) ℒ −1 (𝑠2 )
4 1
ℒ −1 ( 2 ) = 4. ℒ −1 ( 2 ) = 4𝑡
𝑠 𝑠

4
4) ℒ −1 ((𝑠−2)2 )

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 4
ℒ −1 ( ) = 𝑒 2𝑡 . 4𝑡 = 4𝑒 2𝑡 𝑡
(𝑠 − 2)2

1
5) ℒ −1 (𝑠2 +4𝑠+13)
1 1 1 3 1
ℒ −1 ( 2 ) = ℒ −1 ( 2
) = ℒ −1 ( . 2 2
) = 𝑒 −2𝑡 sin 3𝑡
𝑠 + 4𝑠 + 13 (𝑠 + 2) + 9 3 (𝑠 + 2) + 3 3

1
6) ℒ −1 (𝑠(𝑠+3))
a) Part A: Split into partial fractions:
1 1/3 −1/3
= +
𝑠(𝑠 + 3) 𝑠 𝑠+3
b) Part B: Inverse transform:
1 1 −1 −3𝑡 1
ℒ −1 ( ) = .1 + .𝑒 = (1 − 𝑒 −3𝑡 )
𝑠(𝑠 + 3) 3 3 3

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