Application of the theory of Lie algebras to exactly soluble quantum systems

Nicolai Reshetikhin

T. D. Schultz, Daniel Charles Mattis, Élliott H. Lieb

The two-dimensional Ising model for a system of interacting spins (or for the ordering of an AB alloy) on a square lattice is one of the very few nontrivial many-body problems that is exactly soluble and shows a phase transition. Although the exact solution in the absence of an external magnetic field was first given almost twenty years ago in a famous paper by Onsager1 using the theory of Lie algebras, the flow of papers on both approximate and exact methods has remained strong to this day.2 One reason for this has been the interest in testing approximate methods on an exactly soluble problem. A second reason, no doubt, has been the considerable formidability of the Onsager method. The simplification achieved by Bruria Kaufman3 using the theory of spinor representations has diminished, but not removed, the reputation of the Onsager approach for incomprehensibility, while the subsequent application of this method by Yang4 to the calculation of the spontaneous magnetization has, if anything, helped to restore this reputation.

FRANCESCO IACHELLO

Giuseppe Campolieti, B. C. Sanctuary

By implementing the Wei–Norman Lie algebra approach, this paper focuses on the development of a new method of solution to the quantum Liouville equation for NMR field modulation. First, the general method is reviewed and discussed for systems of any finite dimensional Lie algebra. The theory is then applied to arbitrary time-dependent Zeeman interactions [or SU(2) Hamiltonians] in which the complete arbitrary spin I≥1/2 density operator problem reduces to a Riccati equation. Novel exact analytical solutions of the complete spin density operator for a class of temporal field modulations are obtained. In particular, a spherical tensor operator basis is used to expand the density operator, and the solutions retain the physically appealing form of Wigner rotations with time-modulated rotation angles which are special functions with well known analytical properties. The exact solutions include the frequency swept hyperbolic secant pulse shapes, as well as any exponentially modulated amplitude pulse. In contrast to all other existing formulations, the present treatment provides the first known examples of exactly soluble nonrectangular pulse shapes for all resonance off-set, all field amplitudes, all time and valid for all spin I≥1/2. In addition, from the underlying Riccati equation, a new series solution for the complete spin density matrix is given which is valid for any well-behaved field modulations. Spin inversion profiles are also calculated for exponentially decaying pulses. These show applications to selective excitation.

Barry G. Adams, Jakub Čı́žek, Josef Paldus

B.G. Adams, J. Cizek, Josef Paldus