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First page of A Formalization of the Laplace Transform and Its Inversion in Lean 4

A Formalization of the Laplace Transform and Its Inversion in Lean 4

Daniel Goldberg, Antoine Vinciguerra

cs.LO Aug 7, 2026 · v1
Formalizes the Laplace transform, its operational rules, and a Bromwich-type inversion theorem for complex-valued functions in Lean 4.
We present a Lean 4 formalization of the Laplace transform for complex-valued functions, its fundamental operational rules, and a Bromwich-type inversion theorem proved through real-variable integration and the Dirichlet integral. As an application, we formalize the Laplace-domain solution of the harmonic oscillator and identify its transform with that of $\sin(ωt)$. We also discuss the principal analytic and formalization challenges encountered in the development.

The Laplace transform, its operational rules, and inversion were not formalized in Lean 4. Classical inversion relies on contour integration and residues, which are not sufficiently developed in the Lean library.

An abstract kernel is defined over a complete normed algebra using Mathlib's Bochner-integral framework, then specialized to complex-valued functions on the positive half-line. Basic rules (linearity, differentiation, transforms of standard functions) are proved via truncated transforms and dominated convergence. The Bromwich inversion is proved without contour integration by writing s=γ+ir, reducing to real parameter integrals, Fubini, and the Dirichlet integral.

The forward transform, operational rules, and a Bromwich-type inversion theorem are formalized in about 2,900 lines of Lean across four files. As an application, the harmonic oscillator's Laplace-domain solution is formalized and identified with the transform of sin(ωt).