Discrete-Fourier-transform approach to inhomogeneous layer synthesis

In any LTI (Linear Time-Invariant) system, the convolution of two signals is denoted using a convolution operator, assuming all initial conditions are zero. The convolution integral can be divided into two parts: the zero-input or natural response and the zero-state or forced response, with t0 indicating the initial time.
To simplify the convolution integral, it is assumed that both the input signal and impulse response are zero for negative time values. The graphical convolution process...

The Discrete-Time Fourier Transform (DTFT) is an essential mathematical tool for analyzing discrete-time signals, converting them from the time domain to the frequency domain. This transformation allows for examining the frequency components of discrete signals, providing insights into their spectral characteristics. In the DTFT, the continuous integral used in the continuous-time Fourier transform is replaced by a summation to accommodate the discrete nature of the signal.
One of the notable...

Linear systems are characterized by two main properties: superposition and homogeneity. Superposition allows the response to multiple inputs to be the sum of the responses to each individual input. Homogeneity ensures that scaling an input by a scalar results in the response being scaled by the same scalar.
In contrast, nonlinear systems do not inherently possess these properties. However, for small deviations around an operating point, a nonlinear system can often be approximated as linear.

The Discrete-Time Fourier Series (DTFS) is a fundamental concept in signal processing, serving as the discrete-time counterpart to the continuous-time Fourier series. It allows for the representation and analysis of discrete-time periodic signals in terms of their frequency components. Unlike its continuous counterpart, which utilizes integrals, the calculation of DTFS expansion coefficients involves summations due to the discrete nature of the signal.
For a discrete-time periodic signal x[n]...

Signal processing techniques are essential for accurately converting continuous signals to digital formats and vice versa. When a continuous signal is sampled with a period T, the resulting sampled signal exhibits replicas of the original spectrum in the frequency domain, spaced at intervals equal to the sampling frequency. To handle this sampled signal, a zero-order hold method can be applied, which creates a piecewise constant signal by retaining each sample's value until the next sampling...

A system is linear if it displays the characteristics of homogeneity and additivity, together termed the superposition property. This principle is fundamental in all linear systems. Linear time-invariant (LTI) systems include systems with linear elements and constant parameters.
The input-output behavior of an LTI system can be fully defined by its response to an impulsive excitation at its input. Once this impulse response is known, the system's reaction to any other input can be calculated...