Lin and Lu Advances in Difference Equations 2013, 2013:137

http://www.advancesindifferenceequations.com/content/2013/1/137

RESEARCH Open Access

Laplace transform for solving some families of

fractional differential equations and its
applications
Shy-Der Lin* and Chia-Hung Lu
*
Correspondence:
shyder@cycu.edu.tw Abstract
Department of Applied
Mathematics, Chung Yuan Christian In many recent works, many authors have demonstrated the usefulness of fractional
University, Chung-Li, 32023, calculus in the derivation of particular solutions of a significantly large number of
Taiwan, ROC linear ordinary and partial differential equations of the second and higher orders. The
main objective of the present paper is to show how this simple fractional calculus
method to the solutions of some families of fractional differential equations would
lead naturally to several interesting consequences, which include (for example) a
generalization of the classical Frobenius method. The methodology presented here is
based chiefly upon some general theorems on (explicit) particular solutions of some
families of fractional differential equations with the Laplace transform and the
expansion coefficients of binomial series.
MSC: 26A33; 33C10; 34A05
Keywords: fractional-order differential equations; Riemann-Liouville fractional
integrals; gamma function; Mittag-Leffler function; Laplace transform of the fractional
derivative; Wright function

1 Introduction, definitions and preliminaries

In the past two decades, the widely investigated subject of fractional calculus has remark-
ably gained importance and popularity due to its demonstrated applications in numerous
diverse fields of science and engineering. These contributions to the fields of science and
engineering are based on the mathematical analysis. It covers the widely known classical
fields such as Abel’s integral equation and viscoelasticity. Also, including the analysis of
feedback amplifiers, capacitor theory, generalized voltage dividers, fractional-order Chua-
Hartley systems, electrode-electrolyte interface models, electric conductance of biological
systems, fractional-order models of neurons, fitting of experimental data, and the fields of
special functions, etc. (see, for example, [–]).
In this paper, we apply the Laplace of the fractional derivative and the expansion coeffi-
cients of binomial series to derive the explicit solutions to homogeneous fractional differ-
ential equations.
We present some useful definitions and preliminaries as follows.

© 2013 Lin and Lu; licensee Springer. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribu-
tion License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any
medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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Definitions
. The fractional derivative of a causal function f (t) (cf. [, ]) is defined by

dα f (n) (t) if α = n ∈ N,
f (t) = 
t f (n) (t)
dt α (n–α)  (t–x)α–n+ dt if n –  < α < n,

where the Euler gamma function (·) is defined by

 ∞  
(z) = t z– e–t dt R(z) >  .


. The Laplace transform of a function f (t), t ∈ (, ∞) is defined by

 ∞
 
L f (t) (s) = F(s) = e–st f (t) dt (s ∈ C).


. The Mittag-Leffler function (cf. [, ]) is defined by

∞
zk  
Eα,β (z) = z, α, β ∈ C, R(α) >  .
(αk + β)
k=

. The simplest Wright function (cf. [, ]) is defined by

∞
 zk
φ(α, β; z) = · (z, α, β ∈ C).
(αk + β) k!
k=

. The general Wright function p q (z) (cf. [, ]) is defined for z ∈ C, complex
ai , bj ∈ C, and real αi , βj ∈ R (i = , . . . , p; j = , . . . , q) by the series

  ∞ p
(ai , αi ),p  (ai + αi k) zk
p q (z) = p q z := i=
q · ,
(bj , βj ),q k= j= (bj + βj k) k!

where z, ai , bj ∈ C, αi , βj ∈ R, i = , , . . . , p and j = , , . . . , q.
. The Riemann-Liouville fractional derivatives Dαa+ y and Dαb– y of order α ∈ C
((α)  ) are defined by
 n  x
   d y(t) dt    
Dαa+ y (x) = α–n+
n = (α) + ; x > a (.)
(n – α) dx a (x – t)

and
  
   d n b y(t) dt    
Dαb– y (x) = – α–n+
n = (α) + ; x < b , (.)
(n – α) dx x (t – x)

respectively, where [(α)] means the integral part of (α).

. The Pochhammer symbol (or the shifted factorial, since ()n = n! for
n ∈ N = {, , , . . .}) (cf. []) given by

 (n = ),
(λ)n =
λ(λ + ) · · · (λ + n – ) (n ∈ N /{}).
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. The binomial coefficients are defined by

 
λ λ! λ(λ – )(λ – n + )
= = ,
n λ!(λ – n)! n!

where λ and n are integers. Observe that ! = , then

    ∞ ∞  
λ λ –λ (λ)r r λ + r –  r
= , =  and ( – z) = z = z.
 λ r=
r! r=
r

Preliminaries
. L[φ(α, β; t)](s) = s Eα,β ( s ) (α > –, β ∈ C; R(s) > ).
. The Laplace transform of the generalized Wright function is given by

 
 
(ai , αi ),p   (, ), (ai , αi ),p  
L p q –t (s) = p+ q –
(bj , βj ),q  s (bj , βj ),q  s
 
(s) >  , i = , , . . . , p and j = , , . . . , q.


. L[Dα f (t)](s) = sα [Lf (t)](s) – nk= sα–k f (k–) () (cf. []), where α > , n –  < α ≤ n
(n ∈ N), f (t) ∈ C n (, ∞), f (n) (t) ∈ L (, b) for any b > .

Remark . By appropriately appealing to Definition , it is not difficult to prove Prelim-

inary  by the technique of integral transform as follows
 ∞
   
L Dα f (t) (s) = e–st Dα f (t) dt

 ∞  t
 f (n) (ζ )
= e–st
· dζ dt
 (n – α)  (t – ζ )α–n+
 ∞ ∞
 f (n) (ζ )
= e–st · dt dζ
(n – α)  ζ (t – ζ )α–n+
 ∞  ∞

= f (n) (ζ ) e–s(u+ζ ) un–α– du dζ
(n – α)  
 ∞  ∞

= e–sζ f (n) (ζ ) e–su un–α– du dζ
(n – α)  
 ∞
 (n – α)
= e–sζ f (n) (ζ ) n–α dζ
(n – α)  s
 ∞
 
= sα–n e–sζ f (n) (ζ ) dζ = sα–n L f (n) (t) (s)


  
=s sn L f (t) – sn– f () – sn– f  () – · · · – f (n–) ()
α–n

 
= sα L f (t) – sα– f () – sα– f  () – · · · – sα–n f (n–) ()

  n
= sα L f (t) – sα–k f (k–) ().
k=

The interchange of the order of integration in the above derivation can be justified by
applying Fubini’s theorem.
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2 Solutions of the fractional differential equations

Throughout this section, we let y(t) be such that for some value of the parameter s, the
Laplace transform L[y] converges.

Theorem . Let  < α <  and a, b ∈ R. Then the fractional differential equation

y (t) + ay(α) (t) + by(t) =  (.)

with the initial conditions y() = c and y () = c has its solution given by

∞
∞
(–b)k t k (r + k + )(–at –α )r
y(t) = c
k! r=
[( – α)r + k + ]r!
k=
∞
∞
(–b)k t k+ (r + k + )(–at –α )r
+ c
k! r=
[( – α)r + k + ]r!
k=
∞
∞
(–b)k t k–α+ (r + k + )(–at –α )r
+ ac
k! r=
[( – α)r + k – α + ]r!
k=
∞
∞
(–b)k t k–α+ (r + k + )(–at –α )r
+ ac . (.)
k! r=
[( – α)r + k – α + ]r!
k=

Proof Applying the Laplace transform (see Preliminary ) and taking into account, we
have

s L[y] – c s – c + asα L[y] – ac sα– – ac sα– + bL[y] = . (.)

Equation (.) yields

c s + c + ac sα– + ac sα–

L[y] =
s + asα + b
∞ ∞  
k+r
= c (–b)k (–a)r s(α–)r–k–
r
k= k=
∞
∞ 

k+r
+ c (–b)k (–a)r s(α–)r–k–
r
k= k=
∞
∞ 

k+r
+ ac (–b) k
(–a)r s(α–)r–k+α–
r
k= k=
∞
∞ 

k+r
+ ac (–b) k
(–a)r s(α–)r–k+α– , (.)
r
k= k=

since

 s–α s–α
= –α = bs–α
s α
+ as + b s + a + bs –α
(s–α + a)( + s–α +a
)
∞   ∞ ∞
s–α –bs–α k (–b)k s–αk–α (–b)k s–k–
= –α = =
s +a s–α + a (s–α + a)k+ ( + asα– )k+
k= k= k=
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∞
∞  
 r k + r
= (–b)k s–k– –asα–
r=
r
k=
∞
∞  
k+r
= (–b) k
(–a)r s(α–)r–k– . (.)
r=
r
k=

Thus, from Equation (.), we derive the following solution by the inverse Laplace trans-
form to Equation (.):

∞
∞
(–b)k (k + r)!(–a)r t (–α)r+k
y(t) = c ·
k! r=
[( – α)r + k + ] r!
k=
∞
∞
(–b)k (k + r)!(–a)r t (–α)r+k+
+ c ·
k! r=
[( – α)r + k + ] r!
k=
∞
∞
k
(–b) (k + r)!(–a)r t (–α)r+k–α+
+ ac ·
k! r=
[( – α)r + k – α + ] r!
k=
∞
∞
k
(–b) (k + r)!(–a)r t (–α)r+k–α+
+ ac ·
k! r=
[( – α)r + k – α + ] r!
k=
∞
∞
k k
(–b) t (r + k + )(–at –α )r
= c
k! r=
[( – α)r + k + ]r!
k=
∞
∞
(–b)k t k+ (r + k + )(–at –α )r
+ c
k! r=
[( – α)r + k + ]r!
k=
∞
∞
(–b)k t k–α+ (r + k + )(–at –α )r
+ ac
k! r=
[( – α)r + k – α + ]r!
k=
∞
∞
(–b)k t k–α+ (r + k + )(–at –α )r
+ ac .
k! [( – α)r + k – α + ]r! 
k= r=

Example . The fractional differential equation of a generalized viscoelastic free damp-
ing oscillation (cf. [])


y (t) + ay(  ) (t) + by(t) =  (.)

with the initial conditions y() = c and y () = c has its solution given by

∞ ∞
(–b)k t k (r + k + )(–at  )r


y(t) = c
k=
k! r=
[  r + k + ]r!

∞ ∞
(–b)k t k+ (r + k + )(–at  )r


+ c
k=
k! r=
[  r + k + ]r!
∞
 ∞
(–b)k t k+  (r + k + )(–at  )r


+ ac
k=
k! r=
[  r + k +  ]r!

∞  ∞
(–b)k t k+  (r + k + )(–at –α )r
+ ac . (.)
k=
k! r=
[( – α)r + k +  ]r!
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√
In particular, if a =  and b = , then the equation

√ ()
y (t) + y  (t) + y(t) =  (.)

with the initial conditions y() = c and y () = c has its solution given by

∞ ∞ √ 
(–)k t k (r + k + )(– t  )r
y(t) = c
k=
k! r=
[  r + k + ]r!
∞ ∞ √ 
(–)k t k+ (r + k + )(– t  )r
+ c
k=
k! r=
[  r + k + ]r!
∞  ∞ √ 
√ (–)k t k+  (r + k + )(– t  )r
+ c
k=
k! r=
[  r + k +  ]r!
∞  ∞ √ 
√ (–)k t k+  (r + k + )(– t  )r
+ c . (.)
k=
k! r=
[ r + k +  ]r!

Theorem . Let  < α <  and a, b ∈ R. Then the fractional differential equation

y(α) (t) + ay (t) + by(t) =  (.)

with the initial conditions y() = c and y () = c has its solution given by

∞
∞
(–b)k (r + k + )(–a)r t (α–)r+αk
y(t) = c
k! r=
[(α – )r + αk + ]r!
k=
∞
∞
(–b)k (r + k + )(–a)r t (α–)r+αk+
+ c
k! r= [(α – )r + αk + ]r!
k=
∞
∞
(–b)k (r + k + )(–a)r t (α–)r+αk+α–
+ ac . (.)
k! r= [(α – )r + αk + α]r!
k=

Proof Applying the Laplace transform (see Preliminary ) and taking into account, we
have

sα L[y] – sα– y() – sα– y () + asL[y] – ay () + bL[y] = .

That is,

 
sα + as + b L[y] = c sα– + c sα– + ac . (.)

Equation (.) yields

c sα– + c sα– + ac

L[y] =
sα + as + b
∞ ∞  
k+r
= c (–b)k (–a)r sr–αr–αk–
r
k= k=
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∞
∞ 

k+r
+ c (–b)k (–a)r sr–αr–αk–
r
k= k=
∞
∞ 

k k+r
+ ac (–b) (–a)r sr–αr–αk–α , (.)
r
k= k=

since

 s– s–
= α– –
= bs–
sα + as + b s + a + bs (sα– + a)( + )
sα– +a
∞  k
s– bs–
= α– (–)k α–
s +a s +a
k=
∞
∞
(–b)k s–αk–α
(–b)k s–k–
= =
α–
(s + a) k+ ( + as–α )k+
k= k=
∞
∞ 

k –αk–α k+r  r
= (–b) s –as–α
r=
r
k=
∞
∞  
k k+r
= (–b) (–a)r sr–αr–αk–α . (.)
r=
r
k=

Thus, from Equation (.), we derive the following solution by the inverse Laplace trans-
form to Equation (.):

∞
∞
(–b)k (r + k + )(–a)r t (α–)r+αk
y(t) = c ·
k! r= [(α – )r + αk + ] r!
k=
∞
∞
(–b)k (r + k + )(–a)r t (α–)r+αk+
+ c ·
k! r= [(α – )r + αk + ] r!
k=
∞
∞
(–b)k (r + k + )(–a)r t (α–)r+αk+α–
+ ac · .
k! r= [(α – )r + αk + α] r!
k=

This solution can be expressed by the Wright function as

∞

 
(–b)k t αk (k + , )  α–
y(t) = c   –at
k=
k! (αk + , α – )
∞

 
(–b)k t αk+ (k + , )  α–
+ c   –at
k=
k! (αk + , α – )
∞

 
(–b)k t αk+α– (k + , )  α–
+ ac   –at .
k=
k! (αk + α, α – ) 

Example . If we let α =  , a = – and b = – in Theorem ., then the equation


y(  ) (t) – y (t) – y(t) = 
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has a solution

∞
∞
k (r + k + )t  +  k
r 

y(t) = c
k=
k! r=
( r +  k + )r!
∞
∞
k (r + k + )t  +  k+
r 

+ c
k=
k! r=
( r +  k + )r!

∞ ∞
k (r + k + )t  +  k+ 
r  

– c .
k! r= ( r +  k +  )r!
k=

Theorem . Let  < α <  and b ∈ R. Then the equation

y(α) (t) – by(t) =  (.)

with the initial condition y() = c has its solution given by

∞
(bt α )k
y(t) = c
(αk + )
k=
 
= c Eα, bt α . (.)

Proof Applying the Laplace transform to Equation (.), that is,

sα L[y] – c sα– – bL[y] = ,

we have

 ∞ ∞
c sα– c s– k
L[y] = α
= –α
= c s– bs–α = c bk s–αk– ,
s – b  – bs
k= k=
∞
(bt α )k  
y(t) = c = c Eα, bt α .
(αk + ) 
k=

Remark . If a =  in Equation (.), then the equation

yα (t) + by(t) = , <α≤ (.)

with the initial conditions y() = c and y () = c has its solution given by

∞
∞

(–bt α )k (–bt α )k
y(t) = c + c t
(αk + ) (αk + )
k= k=
 α
  
= c Eα, –bt + c tEα, –bt α . (.)

Theorem . A nearly simple harmonic vibration equation (cf. [])

yα (t) + w y(t) = , <α≤ (.)

Lin and Lu Advances in Difference Equations 2013, 2013:137 Page 9 of 9
http://www.advancesindifferenceequations.com/content/2013/1/137

with the initial conditions y() = c and y () = c has its solution given by

   
y(t) = c Eα, –w t α + c tEα, –w t α . (.)

Proof We complete this proof by putting b = w in Equation (.). 

In fact, by applying the Laplace transform to a linear fractional differential equation with
the initial conditions, we can easily derive its solutions as the previous forms in this paper.

Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Authors’ contributions
S-DL carried out the molecular genetic studies, participated in the sequence alignment and drafted the manuscript. C-HL
participated in the sequence alignment.

Acknowledgements
Dedicated to Professor Hari M Srivastava.
The present investigation was supported, in part, by the National Science Council of the Republic of China under Grant
NSC-101-2115-M-033-002.

Received: 30 January 2013 Accepted: 27 April 2013 Published: 13 May 2013

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doi:10.1186/1687-1847-2013-137
Cite this article as: Lin and Lu: Laplace transform for solving some families of fractional differential equations and its
applications. Advances in Difference Equations 2013 2013:137.