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Physical Review A

Invariant spinor representations of finite rotation matrices

Nikolai L. Manakov, Alexei V. Meremianin, Anthony F. Starace

Published Aug 14, 2001• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Our recent results [N. L. Manakov et al., Phys. Rev. A 57, 3233 (1998); 61, 022103 (2000)] on the invariant representations of finite rotation matrices (FRM's) of integer rank j (in terms of tensor products of vectors connected with a space-fixed reference frame) are generalized here for the general case of arbitrary (i.e., integer or half-integer) rank j. This extension is carried out by using new spinor representations of FRM's in terms of specially introduced spinor-annihilation operators. We demonstrate that all widely used, standard representations of FRM's follow as special cases of our invariant representation for particular parametrizations of the rotation parameters. As the simplest application of invariant spinor representations of FRM's, the factorized form of Wigner ${\mathbf{d}}^{j}(\ensuremath{\beta})$ matrices with an arbitrary rank j is obtained as a product of two triangular matrices composed of various powers of $\mathrm{cos}(\ensuremath{\beta}/2).$

DOI
10.1103/physreva.64.032105

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Our recent results [N. L. Manakov et al., Phys. Rev. A 57, 3233 (1998); 61, 022103 (2000)] on the invariant representations of finite rotation matrices (FRM's) of integer rank j (in terms of tensor products of vectors connected with a space-fixed reference frame) are generalized here for the general case of arbitrary (i.e., integer or half-integer) rank j. This extension is carried out by using new spinor representations of FRM's in terms of specially introduced spinor-annihilation operators. We demonstrate that all widely used, standard representations of FRM's follow as special cases of our invariant representation for particular parametrizations of the rotation parameters. As the simplest application of invariant spinor representations of FRM's, the factorized form of Wigner dj(\ensuremathβ){\mathbf{d}}^{j}(\ensuremath{\beta})dj(\ensuremathβ) matrices with an arbitrary rank j is obtained as a product of two triangular matrices composed of various powers of cos(\ensuremathβ/2).\mathrm{cos}(\ensuremath{\beta}/2).cos(\ensuremathβ/2).
Abstract Some problems in elementary geometry are approached from the point of view of linear algebra and generalized to the theory of linear spaces of finite or infinite dimensions having a positive definite binary product. The angle ω between two elements of the linear space is defined from the concept of length by means of the cosine‐theorem. A rotation is then defined as a special case of a unitary transformation moving all elements the same angle ω, except that under certain circumstances, some elements may stay invariant. In the former case, one speaks of a rotation around an “external axis,” and in the latter case, of a rotation around an “internal axis” defined by the invariant elements. It is shown that the finite rotations U of both types may be expressed in the simple exponential form U = exp(iωm), where the “generator” m in the former case is an operator satisfying the relation m2 = 1, and in the latter case, m3 = m. The structure of the group of finite rotations in the former case is clarified in some detail. As an illustration of the theory, some applications to the three‐ and two‐dimensional spaces as well as to the theory of spin are given. The coupling between the ordinary three‐dimensional rotations and the spinor transformations is considered in somewhat greater detail.
The concept of phase-space amplitudes for systems with continuous degrees of freedom is generalized to finite-dimensional spin systems. Complex amplitudes are obtained on both a sphere and a finite lattice, in each case enabling a more fundamental description of pure spin states than that previously given by Wigner functions. In each case the Wigner function can be expressed as the star product of the amplitude and its conjugate, so providing a generalized Born interpretation of amplitudes that emphasizes their more fundamental status. The ordinary product of the amplitude and its conjugate produces a (generalized) spin Husimi function. The case of spin-12\frac{1}{2}21​ is treated in detail, and it is shown that phase-space amplitudes on the sphere transform correctly as spinors under rotations, despite their expression in terms of spherical harmonics. Spin amplitudes on a lattice are also found to transform as spinors. Applications are given to the phase space description of state superposition, and to the evolution in phase space of the state of a spin-12\frac{1}{2}21​ magnetic dipole in a time-dependent magnetic field.
In two previous notes (Parts 1 and 2), we argued thta spin matrices arise when one attempts to separate a quadratic equation (continuity equation with the Poynting vector for a photon, Klein-Gordon equation for a spin .5 particle) into two factors. These appear as generalized numbers (i.e. matrices) which may be multiplied together without considering vector operations such as the cross or dot product. Here we try to examine the problem in an alternative way. We note first that in the case of the Klein-Gordon equation one has a 4-vector containing (p vector, E) or (r vector, t) to cite two examples. These transform under the unitary Lorentz transformation, i.e. via a unitary 4x4 matrix. A subset, however, namely p(x), p(y),p(z) or x,y,z of this 4-vector transforms physically under rotations in 3-space, i.e. via a 3x3 unitary matrix. Furthermore, there is an invariance under this 3x3 matrix transformation. In particular, objects such as the dot product or cross product do not change. Classically, one has no issue with vector operators in an equation. In quantum mechanics, however, a free particle is described by the wavefunction exp(-iEt+ip dot r) and the operator i d/dt partial and -i grad return E and p (vector). exp(-iEt+ip dot r), however, describes a translational invariance in space and time, i.e. there is a periodicity. This invariance is clearly seen if the complex conjugate of the free particle wavefunction is multiplied by the wavefunction to yield 1 everywhere.Thus one starts with a quadratic equation W*W and linearizes it to obtain the function W(x,t). The operators which act on W are the generators related to the invariance in W*W. For the quantum free particle, these are id/dt and -i grad.. We suggest that if such a scheme exists for this translational invariance in t and r, one should treat the rotational invariance in the Klein-Gordon equation in a similar manner. In other words, there should exist operators and a function associated with rotational invariance. In this case, the operator is a matrix (Pauli matrices) and the function a spinor.
We investigate the structure of SO (3)-invariant quantum systems which are composed of two particles with spins j 1 and j 2 . The states of the composite spin system are represented by means of two complete sets of rotationally invariant operators, namely by the projections P J onto the eigenspaces of the total angular momentum J , and by certain invariant operators Q K which are built out of spherical tensor operators of rank K . It is shown that these representations are connected by an orthogonal matrix whose elements are expressible in terms of Wigner's 6- j symbols. The operation of the partial time reversal of the combined spin system is demonstrated to be diagonal in the Q K -representation. These results are employed to obtain a complete characterization of spin systems with j 1 = 1 and arbitrary j 2 ⩾ 1. We prove that the Peres–Horodecki criterion of positive partial transposition (PPT) is necessary and sufficient for separability if j 2 is an integer, while for half-integer spins j 2 there always exist entangled PPT states (bound entanglement). We construct an optimal entanglement witness for the case of half-integer spins and design a protocol for the detection of entangled PPT states through measurements of the total angular momentum.
The various representations of rotations in physical space and Hilbert space are developed in detail. This leads to an in-depth treatment of the representation of states of well-defined spin and angular momentum in quantum systems. The peculiarities of the physics of spin— systems (spinors) is outlined. The tensorial character of representations is implicit in the treatment. The Schwinger and Bargmann representations are introduced in some detail; and this leads to SU(2) coherent states (which are important for more advanced group representation theory).