Network Analysis and Synthesis

Chapter 3
Elements of Realizability Theory

Introduction
In the last chapter we were concerned with
the problem of identifying the response given
the excitation and network.
When we discuss about synthesis we are
concerned with the problem of constructing a
network given the excitation and response.
The starting point for any synthesis is the
system function
H ( s)

R( s)
E (s)

 The first step in synthesis procedure is

determining whether the system function can
be realized with a physical passive network.
There are two considerations
Causality and
Stability

1. Causality
By causality we mean that a voltage doesnt
appear between any terminals in the network
before a current/voltage is applied.
In other words, the impulse response of the
network must be zero for t<0.
h(t ) 0 for t 0

Example
1. h(t)=etu(t)

Is causal because for t<0 u(t)=0, hence, h(t)=0.

2. h(t)=e|t|

Is not causal because for t<0, h(t) is not zero.

 In certain cases, the network can be made

causal by delaying the impulse response by a
certain time delay.

If we delay h(t) by T, then h(t-T) will be causal.

 In the frequency domain causality is implied

when the Paley-Wiener criterion is satisfied.
The Paley-Wiener criterion states that a
necessary and sufficient condition for
causality is

log H ( jw)
w 1
2

dw

 The physical implication of the Paley-Wiener

criterion is that the amplitude response of a
causal network cant be zero over a finite band
of frequency.

Example
1. The ideal low pass filter
Is not causal because it is zero
for all frequencies w>wc.

2. The Gaussian filter

H ( jw) e

w2

Is not causal because

log H ( jw)
w2 1

is not finite.

w2
dw 2
dw
w 1

3. The amplitude function

1

H ( jw)

w2 1

Is causal because

log H ( jw)
w 1
2

dw

1
2

dw

2. Stability
If a network is stable, then for a bounded
excitation e(t) the response will also be
bounded.
| e(t ) | C1

0t

| r (t ) | C2

0t

Where C1 and C2 are real, positive and finite

numbers.

 If a linear system is stable, then we get from the

convolution integral and the above definition of
stability

| r (t ) | C1 h( ) d C2
0

The above equation implies that the impulse

response be absolutely integrable.

h( ) d
0

One important requirement for h(t) to be absolutely

integrable is h(t) approach zero as t increases to
infinity.

 Note that our definition of stability implies systems

with sinwt impulse
response are not stable because

sin wt dt
0

However, a simple L-C network has such an impulse

response.
Since we don't want to call these systems unstable,
we call them marginally stable if they satisfy the
following criterion.

lim h(t ) 0
t

and h(t ) C all t

 Stability in the frequency domain implies that

the system function should only have poles on
the left had side of the s plane or simple
poles on the jw axis.
This is because if we have a pole on the right
hand side, then the impulse response will
have an exponentially increasing term, et.
Hence, our response will not be bounded.

 If there is a double pole on the jw axis, then

the impulse response of the network will have
a term tsin(wt).
This will not be bounded.

 If H(s) is given as
an s n an 1s n 1 ... a1s a0
H ( s)
bm s m bm1s m1 ... b1s b0

Due to the requirement of simple poles on the

jw axis, the order of the numerator shouldnt
exceed the order of the denominator by more
than 1. That is n m 1
If n m 1 then there would be multiple poles
on the s=jw=infinity.

 To summarize, for a network to be stabile the

following three conditions must be satisfied
1. H(s) cant have poles on the right side of the s
plane.
2. H(s) cant have multiple poles on the jw axis.
3. The degree of the numerator of H(s) cant
exceed that of the denominator by more than 1.

3. Hurwitz polynomials
We mentioned in the previous section that in
order for a system to be stable, its poles must
lie in the left side of the s plane; moreover
the poles on the jw axis must be simple.
The denominator polynomial of a system
function H(s) that satisfies these criteria
belongs to a class of polynomials called
Hurwitz polynomials.
In these section, we will discuss the properties
of these types of polynomials.

 A polynomial P(s) is said to be Hurwitz if it

satisfies
1. P(s) must be real if s is real.
2. The real part of its roots must be negative or zero.

As a result of these conditions, if P(s) is a

Hurwitz polynomial given by
P(s) an s n an1s n1 ... a1s a0

Then all coefficients an must be real and if

si=+j is root of P(s), then must be negative.

Example
1. The polynomial
Hurwitz because

is

For real s P(s) is real, P(s)=(s+1)(s2+3s+2)

None of the roots lie on the right hand side of the s plane.

2. The polynomial
Hurwitz

P(s) (s 1) s 1 j 2 s 1 j 2

G(s) (s 1)(s 2)(s 3)

is not

The root s=1 lies on the positive s plane.

Properties of Hurwitz polynomial

1. All the coefficients of the polynomial are non
negative.
This is readily seen by examining the types of
terms P(s) can have
P(s) s s s
2

Simple
real pole

Simple pole
on the jw axis

Complex
conjugate roots

The multiplication of these non negative

coefficients can only give non negative
coefficients.

2. The even and odd parts of P(s) have roots on

the jw axis only.
If we denote the even and odd parts of P(s)
as n(s) and m(s)
P(s) n(s) m(s)

Then both n(s) and m(s) have roots on the jw

axis only.

3. The continued fraction expansion of n(s)/m(s)

or m(s)/n(s) of a Hurwitz polynomial yields
only positive quotient terms.
(s)

n( s )
q1s
m( s )
q2 s

All the qs are positive.

1
1
q3 s

1
q4 s

1
.....
1
qn s

Example
Obtain the continued fraction expansion of
F (s) s 4 s 3 5s 2 3s 4

Solution:
n(s) s 4 5s 2 4 and m(s) s 3 3s

Since the order of n(s) is higher than m(s), we

start with n(s)/m(s).

n( s ) s 4 5s 2 4

m( s )
s 3 3s
2s 2 4
s 3
s 3s
1
s 3
s 3s
2s 2 4
1
s
1
s
s 2
2
2s 4
1
s
1
1
s 2
2s 4
2
s
1
s
1
1
s
4
2
2s
s
1
s
1
1
s
1
2
2s
s
4

Note that all the

coefficients of the
quotients are positive

4. Positive Real Functions

These functions are important because they
represent physically realizable passive driving
point immitances.
A function is positive real if
F(s) is real for real s, that is F() is real.
The real part of F(s) is greater or equal to zero
when the real part of s is greater than or equal to
zero. That is

 In other words, the right half of the s plane

maps with the right half of F(s) plane.
In addition, the real axis of s plane maps with
real axis of F(s) plane.
A further restriction is that F(s) be rational.

Example
1. F(s)=Ls (where L is positive real number), is
positive real by definition. Inductor
2. F(s)=R (where R is positive real number), is
positive real by definition. Resistor
3. F(s)=K/s (K real and positive) is positive real
because when s is real F(s) is real and when
the real part of s is positive the real part of
F(s) is also positive. Capacitor
F ( s)

1
1
j j

j j j 2 2

 The necessary and sufficient condition for F(s)

to be a positive real function is
F(s) must have no poles on the right side of s
plane.
F(s) may have only simple poles on the jw axis
with real and positive residues.
Re (F(jw)) 0 for all w.

Example
1. Is

s2
positive
2
s 3s 2
s2
1
F ( s)

s 1(s 2) s 1

F ( s)

real function?

Its pole s=-1 lies on the left of s plane

No multiple poles on the jw axis
Its real part is
1
1
1 jw
Re
ReF ( jw) Re

2
2
1

jw
1

w
1

is always positive.

2. Is F (s) ss 12
Solution:

positive real?

F ( s)

s2
s j 2 s j 2

No poles on the right hand side.

No multiple poles on jw axis.
The real part of F(jw) is

1
jw 1
ReF ( jw) Re

2
2
w 2 2w

this can be a negative number. For example for

w=2.

Exercise
3. Is

F ( s)

s4
s 2 2s 1

positive real?