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arXiv:2402.11298

Clebsch-Gordan coefficients, hypergeometric functions and the binomial distribution

Jean‐Christophe Pain

Published Feb 17, 2024• 0 citations

Abstract

A particular case of degenerate Clebsch-Gordan coefficient can be expressed with three binomial coefficients. Such a formula, which may be obtained using the standard ladder operator procedure, can also be derived from the Racah-Shimpuku formula or from expressions of Clebsch-Gordan coefficients in terms of $_3F_2$ hypergeometric functions. The O'Hara interesting interpretation of this Clebsch-Gordan coefficient by binomial random variables can also be related to hypergeometric functions ($_2F_1$), in the case where one of the parameters tends to infinity. This emphasizes the links between Clebsch-Gordan coefficients, hypergeometric functions and, what has been less exploited until now, the notion of probability within the framework of the quantum theory of angular momentum.

DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2402.11298

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A particular case of degenerate Clebsch-Gordan coefficient can be expressed with three binomial coefficients. Such a formula, which may be obtained using the standard ladder operator procedure, can also be derived from the Racah-Shimpuku formula or from expressions of Clebsch-Gordan coefficients in terms of

_3F_2

hypergeometric functions. The O'Hara interesting interpretation of this Clebsch-Gordan coefficient by binomial random variables can also be related to hypergeometric functions (

_2F_1

), in the case where one of the parameters tends to infinity. This emphasizes the links between Clebsch-Gordan coefficients, hypergeometric functions and, what has been less exploited until now, the notion of probability within the framework of the quantum theory of angular momentum.

A class of Clebsch-Gordan coefficients are derived from the properties of conditional probability using the binomial distribution. In particular, in the case of

l=l_1+l_2

it is shown that

[^2 =\frac{(\begin{array}{c} l_1 k_1\end{array}) (\begin{array}{c}l_2 k_2\end{array})}{(\begin{array}{c}l k \end{array})}

The problem of angular momentum addition requires the calculation of Clebsch-Gordan coefficients. While systems involving small values of momenta and spin present no special problem, larger systems require extensive computational effort. This paper describes a straightforward method for computing the coefficients for any two-particle problem exactly by means of a simplified form of the recursion formula in a notation that is particularly accessible to the third- or fourth-year student. The method is summarized in a brief BASIC program.