A Zadoff–Chu (ZC) sequence
is a
complex-valued mathematical
sequence
In mathematics, a sequence is an enumerated collection of objects in which repetitions are allowed and order matters. Like a set, it contains members (also called ''elements'', or ''terms''). The number of elements (possibly infinite) is cal ...
which, when applied to a
signal
A signal is both the process and the result of transmission of data over some media accomplished by embedding some variation. Signals are important in multiple subject fields including signal processing, information theory and biology.
In ...
, gives rise to a new signal of constant
amplitude
The amplitude of a periodic variable is a measure of its change in a single period (such as time or spatial period). The amplitude of a non-periodic signal is its magnitude compared with a reference value. There are various definitions of am ...
. When
cyclically shifted versions of a Zadoff–Chu sequence are imposed upon a signal the resulting set of signals detected at the receiver are
uncorrelated
In probability theory and statistics, two real-valued random variables, X, Y, are said to be uncorrelated if their covariance, \operatorname ,Y= \operatorname Y- \operatorname \operatorname /math>, is zero. If two variables are uncorrelated, ther ...
with one another.
Description
Zadoff–Chu sequences exhibit the useful property that cyclically shifted versions of themselves are
orthogonal
In mathematics, orthogonality (mathematics), orthogonality is the generalization of the geometric notion of ''perpendicularity''. Although many authors use the two terms ''perpendicular'' and ''orthogonal'' interchangeably, the term ''perpendic ...
to one another.
A generated Zadoff–Chu sequence that has not been shifted is known as a ''root sequence''.

The complex value at each position ''n'' of each root Zadoff–Chu sequence parametrised by ''u'' is given by
:
where
:
,
:
and
,
:
,
:
,
:
.
Zadoff–Chu sequences are CAZAC sequences (
constant amplitude zero autocorrelation waveform).
Note that the special case
results in a Chu sequence,.
Setting
produces a sequence that is equal to the cyclically shifted version of the Chu sequence by
, and multiplied by a complex, modulus 1 number, where by multiplied we mean that each element is multiplied by the same number.
Properties of Zadoff-Chu sequences
1. They are
periodic with period
.
:
2. If
is prime, the
Discrete Fourier Transform
In mathematics, the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) converts a finite sequence of equally-spaced Sampling (signal processing), samples of a function (mathematics), function into a same-length sequence of equally-spaced samples of the discre ...
of a Zadoff–Chu sequence is another Zadoff–Chu sequence conjugated, scaled and time scaled.
: