MA2002D-Mathematics IV

Laurent Series

National Institute of Technology, Calicut

1 1 1 1 1
Solution: = = =
1−𝑧 1−𝑧+2𝑖−2𝑖 1−2𝑖 −(𝑧−2𝑖) 1−2𝑖 1−𝑧−2𝑖
1−2𝑖

1 𝑧−2𝑖 𝑧−2𝑖 2 𝑧−2𝑖

Here the radius of convergence of the power series is √5.

Laurent Series

If a function fails to be analytic at a point 𝑧 = 𝑧0 then that point is said to be a singularity or

Isolated singularity: Suppose that 𝑧 = 𝑧0 is a singularity of a complex function . The point

𝑧 = 𝑧0 is said to be an isolated singularity of the function 𝑓 if there exist some deleted neighbourhood
or punctured open disk 0 < 𝑧 − 𝑧0 < 𝑅 of 𝑧0 throughout which 𝑓 is analytic.

Laurent Theorem: Let 𝑓(𝑧) be analytic in an annulus domain 𝑅1 < 𝑧 − 𝑧0 < 𝑅2 and 𝐶 be a simple
closed curve around 𝑧0 and lying in this annulus region. Then at every point 𝑧 of the domain, 𝑓(𝑧) has
the representation:

∞ ∞
𝑛
𝑏𝑛
𝑓 𝑧 = ෍ 𝑎𝑛 𝑧 − 𝑧0 +෍ 𝑛
, 𝑅1 < 𝑧 − 𝑧0 < 𝑅2 … . (1)
𝑧 − 𝑧0
𝑛=0 𝑛=1
 1 𝑓(𝑧)
Where, 𝑎𝑛 = ‫׬‬ 𝑑𝑧, 𝑛 = 0,1,2, …
2𝜋𝑖 𝐶 𝑧−𝑧0 𝑛+1

1 𝑛−1
𝑏𝑛 = ‫׬‬ 𝑧 − 𝑧0 𝑓(𝑧) 𝑑𝑧, 𝑛 = 1,2, …
2𝜋𝑖 𝐶

or, one can write the Laurent series as

∞
𝑛
𝑓 𝑧 = ෍ 𝑐𝑛 𝑧 − 𝑧0 , 𝑅1 < 𝑧 − 𝑧0 < 𝑅2
𝑛=−∞

1 𝑓 𝑧
Where, 𝑐𝑛 = 2𝜋𝑖 ‫𝐶׬‬ 𝑑𝑧, 𝑛 = 0, ±1, ±2, …
𝑧−𝑧0 𝑛+1
Note: 1) If 𝑓 is analytic in 𝑧 − 𝑧0 < 𝑅2 , then all the 𝑏𝑛 ’s are zero and (1) reduces to Taylor
series.

2) If 𝑓 fails to be analytic at 𝑧0 but it is analytic in 𝑧 − 𝑧0 < 𝑅2. Then (1) is valid when

0 < 𝑧 − 𝑧0 < 𝑅2 .

3) If 𝑓 is analytic at each point exterior to 𝑧 − 𝑧0 = 𝑅1 then (1) is valid in

𝑅1 < 𝑧 − 𝑧0 < ∞.
 1
Problem: Derive the Laurent series expansion for the function 𝑓 𝑧 = 𝑧 2 (1−𝑧) in 0 < 𝑧 < 1.

Solution: 𝑓(𝑧) is not analytic at 𝑧 = 0,1.

In 0 < 𝑧 < 1:

1 1 −1 1
𝑓 𝑧 = 𝑧 2 (1−𝑧) = 𝑧 2 1 − 𝑧 = 𝑧2 1 + 𝑧 + 𝑧2 + 𝑧3 + ⋯

1 1
= 𝑧2 + 𝑧 + 1 + 𝑧 + 𝑧2 + ⋯

1 1
= σ∞
𝑛=0 𝑧
𝑛
+ + 𝑧2 , 0 < 𝑧 < 1.
𝑧
In 1 < 𝑧 < ∞:

−1
1 1 1
𝑓 𝑧 = 2 =− 3 1−
𝑧 (1 − 𝑧) 𝑧 𝑧

1 1 1 1 1 1
= − 𝑧 3 1 + 𝑧 + 𝑧 2 + ⋯ = − 𝑧 3 σ∞
𝑛=0 𝑧 𝑛 = − σ ∞
𝑛=0 𝑧 𝑛+3 .

𝑧
Problem: a) Obtain the Laurent series expansion of 𝑓 𝑧 = (𝑧−1)(𝑧−3)

b) Expand the function in (a) in powers of (𝑧 − 1) and mention the region of validity.

1 1 3
Solution : a) 𝑓 𝑧 = [− + ]
2 𝑧−1 𝑧−3

1 1
and are analytic for 𝐷1 : 𝑧 < 1.
𝑧−1 𝑧−3
In 𝐷1 : 𝑧 < 1:

∞ ∞
1 1 1 1 𝑧 𝑛
𝑛
𝑓 𝑧 = − 𝑧 = [෍ 𝑧 − ෍ ]
2 1−𝑧 1− 2 3
3 𝑛=0 𝑛=0

1 1
= σ∞
𝑛=0 1 − 𝑧𝑛, 𝑧 < 1
2 3𝑛

For 𝐷2 : 1 < 𝑧 < 3:

∞ 𝑛 ∞
1 1 1 1 1 1 𝑧 𝑛
𝑓 𝑧 = − − 𝑧 = [− ෍ −෍ ]
2 𝑧 1−1 1−3 2 𝑧 𝑧 3
𝑧 𝑛=0 𝑛=0

1 𝑧𝑛 1 1
= −2 σ∞
𝑛=0 3𝑛 + σ∞
𝑛=0 𝑧 𝑛+1 , here 𝑎𝑛 = 3𝑛 , 𝑛 = 0,1, … , 𝑏𝑛 = 1, 𝑛 = 0,1,2, …
For 𝐷3 : 3 < 𝑧 < ∞:

∞ 𝑛 ∞ 𝑛
1 1 3 1 1 3
𝑓 𝑧 = − + = [− ෍ + ෍ 3. ]
2 𝑧 1− 1 3 2𝑧 𝑧 𝑧
𝑧 1−𝑧 𝑛=0 𝑛=0
𝑧
1 1 3 𝑛+1 1 1
∞ ∞ σ∞ 𝑛+1
= − σ𝑛=0 𝑛+1 + σ𝑛=0 𝑛+1 = 𝑛=0 3 −1
2 𝑧 𝑧 2 𝑧 𝑛+1

1 1 3
b) 𝑓 𝑧 = 2 − 𝑧−1 + 𝑧−3

1
Here 𝑧−1 is already is powers in 𝑧 − 1 in 𝑓 𝑧 .

3 3 3 1 3 ∞ 𝑧−1 𝑛
Now = = − 2 𝑧−1 = − 2 σ𝑛=0 2
𝑧−3 𝑧−1−2 1−
2
 1 3 ∞ 𝑧−1 𝑛
So, the required expression is − 2 𝑧−1 − σ , 𝑧−1 <2
4 𝑛=0 2𝑛

When 𝑧 − 1 > 2:

∞ 𝑛
3 3 3 3 2
= = = ෍ , 𝑧−1 >2
𝑧 − 3 𝑧 − 1 − 2 (𝑧 − 1)(1 − 2
) 𝑧 − 1 𝑛=0 𝑧 − 1
𝑧−1
So, the required expression is :

∞
1 3 2𝑛
− + ෍ 𝑛+1
, 2 < 𝑧 − 1 < ∞.
2 𝑧−1 2 𝑧−1
𝑛=0
Uniqueness of Laurent theorem:

Suppose that we obtain in any manner or as the definition of 𝑓(𝑧), the formulas,

𝑓 𝑧 = ෍ 𝑐𝑛 𝑧 − 𝑧0 𝑛 , 𝑅1 < 𝑧 − 𝑧0 < 𝑅2
𝑛=−∞

Then the series is necessarily identical with the Laurent series of 𝑓 𝑧 .

1 𝑧 𝑛−1
∞
σ𝑛=0 𝑛+1 .
Problem: Show that in 0 < 𝑧 < 4, =
4𝑧−𝑧 2 4