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Journal of Modern Physics

Mathematical Derivation of Angular Momenta in Quantum Physics

Daniel Grucker

Published Jan 1, 2013• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

For a two-dimensional complex vector space, the spin matrices can be calculated directly from the angular momentum commutator definition. The 3 Pauli matrices are retrieved and 23 other triplet solutions are found. In the three-dimensional space, we show that no matrix fulfills the spin equations and preserves the norm of the vectors. By using a Clifford geometric algebra it is possible in the four-dimensional spacetime (STA) to retrieve the 24 different spins 1/2. In this framework, spins 1/2 are rotations characterized by multivectors composed of 3 vectors and 3 bivectors. Spins 1 can be defined as rotations characterized by 4 vectors, 6 bivectors and 4 trivectors which result in unit multivectors which preserve the norm. Let us note that this simple derivation retrieves the main spin properties of particle physics.

DOI
10.4236/jmp.2013.47125

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For a two-dimensional complex vector space, the spin matrices can be calculated directly from the angular momentum commutator definition. The 3 Pauli matrices are retrieved and 23 other triplet solutions are found. In the three-dimensional space, we show that no matrix fulfills the spin equations and preserves the norm of the vectors. By using a Clifford geometric algebra it is possible in the four-dimensional spacetime (STA) to retrieve the 24 different spins 1/2. In this framework, spins 1/2 are rotations characterized by multivectors composed of 3 vectors and 3 bivectors. Spins 1 can be defined as rotations characterized by 4 vectors, 6 bivectors and 4 trivectors which result in unit multivectors which preserve the norm. Let us note that this simple derivation retrieves the main spin properties of particle physics.
Abstract A new representation for spin 1/2 in the even 3D subalgebra of the spacetime algebra (STA) combines in a single geometric object the roles of the standard Pauli spin vector and spin state. It is a vector quantity comprising a gauge phase. In the one-particle case the representation (1) is Hermitian; (2) chiral; (3) reproduces all standard expectation values, including the total one-particle spin modulus ; (4) constrains a spinor basis representing opposite spins to preserve handiness (chirality); (5) the gauge phase allows to explicitly formalize irreversibility in spin measurement. In the two-particle case it (1) identifies entangled spin pairs as having opposite handiness and precise gauge phase relations; (2) doubles the dimensionality of the spin space due to variation of handiness; (3) the four maximally entangled states are naturally derived by pairing spins that are reflections (triplets) and inversions (singlet) of each-other. The cross-product terms in the expression for the squared total spin of two particles can be affected by experiment and they yield the standard expectation values after measurement. Here I directly define and transform spin in 3D orientation space, without invoking concepts like abstract Hilbert space and tensor product as in the standard formulation. The STA formalism allows working with whole geometric objects instead of only components, thereby helping keep a clear geometric picture of ‘on paper’ (controlled gauge phase) and ‘on lab’ (uncontrolled gauge phase) spin transformations.
Chapter 11 is devoted to the quantum theory of angular momentum. As in classical mechanics, working with angular momentum requires leaving the one-dimensional space, with all the complications that this entails. The importance of angular momentum resides in at least three facts: i) central problems are of particular interest; (ii) many particles have an intrinsic angular momentum (the spin); and iii) the physics of angular momentum involves features such as the so-called space quantization. The first part of the chapter deals with the orbital angular momentum and its eigenfunctions, the spherical harmonics. Its algebraic properties, embodied in the matrix representation, allow for an extension of the theory to half-integer angular momentum in terms of Pauli matrices, as well as the addition of angular momenta.
In four-dimensional or higher-dimensional space, spin angular momentum is not known well. For instance, we are not sure how many components it has in four-dimensional space. In this paper, the spin properties are theoretically derived and investigated in general-dimensional space. Before studying spin, we review the orbital angular momentum properties first, because they are theoretically well known even in higher-dimensional space. Then, for the orbital angular momentum, we make a special but natural assumption, and see that it leads a quantity similar to spin or Pauli matrices. It is remarkable that all the spin properties are derived from the one and only one assumption. Consistency of our consideration is checked by calculating the four-dimensional version of spin spherical harmonics and its eigenvalues. This theory may enable us to understand the double degeneracy of spin-1/2 particles without bringing in something called spin.
Abstract A novel representation of spin 1/2 combines in a single geometric object the standard Pauli spin operator and spin state. Under the spin-position decoupling approximation it consists of the sum of three orthogonal vectors comprising a gauge phase. In the one-spin case the representation: (1) is Hermitian; (2) endowed with handedness; (3) yields all standard results, including the total spin angular momentum; (4) relates basis spins by proper rotations, thus preserving handedness; (5) allows formalizing irreversibility in spin measurement. In the bipartite case: (1) entangled spins have precisely related gauge phases and opposite handedness; (2) maximally entangled spins relate by one of the four improper rotations in 3D: plane-reflections (triplets) and inversion (singlet); (3) the full spin expressions yield the standard total two-spin angular momentum; (4) all standard expected values for bipartite observations follow. Depending on whether spin operations act one – or two – sided, the formalism appears in two complementary forms, the ‘spinor’ or the ‘vector’ form, respectively. The proposed scheme provides a clear geometric picture of spin transformations and correlations in the 3D physical orientation space.
As in classical mechanics, rotation in quantum mechanics is a transformation which deals with angular momentum. The difference with classical mechanics comes from the fact that angular momentum is a vector operator and not a usual vector and its components do not commute. As for any transformation in quantum mechanics, to each rotation we can associate an operator which acts in state space. The expression of this operator depends on whether the rotation is passive, that is we do a rotation of the coordinate axes and the physical system is left unchanged, or active, in which case the coordinate axes are unchanged and the rotation is performed on the physical system. In the first part (Chaps. 1 and 2) of this book, details concerning both aspects are given. Following the definition of the geometrical transformation associated with the most general rotation, we give the expression of the rotation operator for specific cases. Transformation laws for scalar fields, vector fields and spinor fields are given as well as transformation laws for scalar operators, vector operators and more generally, for operators of any rank. The second part (Chaps. 3 and 4) deals with angular momentum algebra. We define the coupling coefficients of 2, 3 and 4 angular momenta as well as the recoupling coefficients. The definition of the irreductible tensor operator, which is a generalisation of scalar and vector operators, is given as well as the Wigner-Eckart theorem. The application of this theorem to more complex cases is studied.