Even with jumps, the Fourier coefficients (\varepsilon_m) decay as (1/m) (for a step change). Meanwhile, the electric field or pressure wave is assumed to follow Bloch’s theorem:
Let’s explore how engineers and physicists use Fourier series to model and solve real-world discontinuous periodic systems. Consider a perfect square wave—a signal that jumps instantly between +1 and -1. This is the poster child for discontinuity. Its Fourier series is: Even with jumps
[ \varepsilon(x) = \sum_{m=-\infty}^{\infty} \varepsilon_m , e^{i m K x}, \quad K = \frac{2\pi}{a} ] e^{i m K x}
[ E(x) = e^{i k x} \sum_{n=-\infty}^{\infty} E_n , e^{i n K x} ] e^{i n K x} ]