Bandwidth theorem

t 2 [8.1]

(Width in frequency domain)(Width in time domain) 2

Remember : = 2f so

ft 1 [8.2]

These relations are properties of all waves including

particle waves in quantum mechanics.

Bandwidth theorem implies that any wave

phenomenon that occurs over a time interval t has to
have a spread of frequencies f given by:

f = 1/t Hz

If t is small then f will be large.

Example:
A clap has a much smaller time width, t, than a cough.
Therefore a clap has a much larger frequency spread than
a cough. The ear is very sensitive to different frequencies
and so can easily distinguish between these two sound
wave packets.
 Complicated amplitude distributions:
The bandwidth theorem applies even if the frequency
domain amplitude distribution is complicated.
Take A() to be Gaussian as an example:

A( ) = exp(( 0 )2 / 2 2 )

Add together N waves with different wavelengths, but

with Gaussian amplitude distribution
c 10000 Speed the same for all wavelengths
low 50 max 200

Put in a distribution of amplitudes, make it

Gaussianaround mean, with a width
= 90 mean = 584.126
2
A( ) exp 1 .( mean )
2
2.

A n

(x , t) A n . sin kn. x n. t
n
 ( 0 , t )

t
-0.1 0.1
The 'width' of the amplitude distribution is ( i.e d).
From the graph ,pulse width t ~ 0.07 s, thus
. 0.07 = 6.3 i.e ~ 2

So the bandwidth theorem works!

Bandwidth theorem in real waves

In real physical situations the width of the
amplitude distribution in the frequency domain, and the
width t of the wave packets in the time domain, may be
very hard to define.
In most cases these quantities will be estimated as
being wider than they are.
=> In general one will find : t >> 2
You will never find : t << 2
You can not beat the bandwidth theorem: it is a
fundamental limit (as is the 2nd law of thermodynamics)
 More bandwidth theorem
We have seen that t ~ 2
Can also look at spread in k values (k = 2/) k and
the spread in space, x, of the wave packet

kx 2

[See tutorial question]

To superpose waves with different amplitudes at

different frequencies we have been using the formula:
(x , t) A n . sin kn. x n. t
n
This is a simple case of the Fourier Theorem.
The most general form is to write
( x, t ) = A0 + A( ) sin(kx t ) + B( ) cos(kx t )
So the sine and cosine terms each have independent
amplitude distributions A() and B()
 Adding the whole Fourier Series: add together a large
number of waves with both sine and cosine terms
c 1000 All have same speed
N 50 low 70 max 130

0 N
width of amplitude distribution
2
A( ) .9 Fixed amplitude distributions
B( ) .4
Sum the N waves, each having its own amplitude
A0 100 This will turn out to equal the MEAN
VALUE of wavepacket (x,t)

(x , t) A0 A n . sin kn. x n. t B n . cos kn. x n. t

n n

150
Notice how hard it is
( 0 , t ) 100 to estimate the width of
A0 this wavepacket in the
50
time domain, also note
0 that the mean value of
1 0 1
t the wavepacket is given
by the first ( constant) term in the Fourier series
 As before but with random amplitude
distributions

A( ) rnd( 1 ) Put in some RANDOM

B( ) rnd( 1 ) amplitude distributions

Frequency domain

1
1
A( ) 0.5
B( ) 0.5
0
40 60 80 100
0
40 60 80 100
n
n
Time domain

150

( 0 , t ) 100

A0
50

0
1 0 1
t
Very similar wave packet even with random input
amplitudes: t still determined by the input or (k).
 Consequences of the Bandwidth Theorem

Width of spectral lines

Atoms in a gas discharge lamp emit light over a finite
time interval : t 108s
Thus the light emitted is not mono-chromatic since
there has to be a spread of frequencies:

f ~ 1/ t ~ 108 Hz

This spread will make the spectra line have a finite

width, called the natural line width (see Hecht section
7.10)

Other reasons causing line broadening

Doppler effect: The atoms in a hot gas have a speed
(V ms-1) given by:

1/2 m V2 = 3/2 kT
where k is Boltzmanns constant, T is the temperature
in Kelvin, m is the mass of the gas molecule in kg.
Waves emitted by atoms moving towards the observer
are blue shifted (wavelength decrease) and waves
emitted by atoms moving away from the observer are red
shifted. This process often dominates over the natural
line width.
 Collision Broadening: Collisions between atoms
will disturb the energy levels and cut short the
emission processes (t smaller). Hence f must be
larger.

y
i

x
i
Observe random phase changes as the atom collides with
other atoms. Reduces the effective decay lifetime.

Bandwidth Theorem in Quantum

mechanics

Particles exhibit wave behaviour

Momentum p = h/ = 2h / 2 = k

Where h is Plancks constant, = h/2

Also energy E = hf =

As waves these must obey the bandwidth theorem

i.e. kx 2

=> kx h
 Using k = p, the spread in momentum

=> px h

This is Heisenbergs uncertainty principle.

Also t 2, hence kx h

=> Et h

In QM this means that for very short time intervals

then the strict conservation of energy can be violated

E h/t