The zero-state response of an RL circuit refers to the circuit's output response due to an external input, assuming that the circuit starts from an initial state where all initial conditions are zero. Essentially, it's the part of the circuit's response that is purely due to the input and does not take into account any initial stored energy in the inductor or resistor.
To explain this in detail, letβs consider a simple RL circuit consisting of a resistor \(R\) and an inductor \(L\) connected in series with a voltage source \(V(t)\).
### 1. **Circuit Description**
In a series RL circuit, the total voltage across the components is given by:
\[ V(t) = V_R(t) + V_L(t) \]
where:
- \( V_R(t) \) is the voltage across the resistor,
- \( V_L(t) \) is the voltage across the inductor.
The voltage across the resistor is related to the current \(I(t)\) by Ohm's Law:
\[ V_R(t) = I(t) \cdot R \]
The voltage across the inductor is related to the rate of change of current by:
\[ V_L(t) = L \frac{dI(t)}{dt} \]
Thus, the input voltage \(V(t)\) can be written as:
\[ V(t) = R \cdot I(t) + L \frac{dI(t)}{dt} \]
### 2. **Differential Equation**
Rearranging the above equation to form a differential equation for the current \(I(t)\):
\[ L \frac{dI(t)}{dt} + R \cdot I(t) = V(t) \]
### 3. **Zero-State Response**
To find the zero-state response, we assume that at \(t = 0\), the current through the circuit is zero, and the initial voltage across the inductor and resistor is zero. This assumption implies that there are no initial conditions affecting the response.
We solve the differential equation with \(I(0) = 0\). To do this, we can use the Laplace Transform, which is a common method for analyzing circuits and systems.
**Taking the Laplace Transform:**
\[ L \cdot s \cdot I(s) + R \cdot I(s) = V(s) \]
where \(I(s)\) is the Laplace transform of \(I(t)\), and \(V(s)\) is the Laplace transform of \(V(t)\).
Rearranging:
\[ I(s) = \frac{V(s)}{L \cdot s + R} \]
**Inverse Laplace Transform:**
To find \(I(t)\), we take the inverse Laplace transform of \(I(s)\):
\[ I(t) = \mathcal{L}^{-1} \left\{ \frac{V(s)}{L \cdot s + R} \right\} \]
This equation provides the current response \(I(t)\) due to an external input \(V(t)\), assuming the circuit starts from rest (zero initial conditions).
### **Example: Step Input Voltage**
Suppose \(V(t)\) is a step function \(V(t) = V_0 \cdot u(t)\), where \(u(t)\) is the unit step function. The Laplace Transform of \(V(t)\) is \(V_0 / s\).
**Substitute \(V(s)\):**
\[ I(s) = \frac{V_0 / s}{L \cdot s + R} \]
**Simplify:**
\[ I(s) = \frac{V_0}{s (L \cdot s + R)} \]
Perform partial fraction decomposition and inverse Laplace Transform:
\[ I(t) = \frac{V_0}{R} \left(1 - e^{-\frac{R}{L}t}\right) \]
### **Conclusion**
The zero-state response of an RL circuit is the response of the circuit to an external input when starting from zero initial conditions. By solving the differential equation governing the circuit's behavior with the Laplace Transform, we can find how the current or voltage evolves over time in response to the input signal. This analysis assumes no pre-existing energy in the circuit's components and focuses solely on the influence of the external input.