Tensor operators Applying the Baker-Hausdorff lemma

We have used the vector notation for three component

operators for example to express the scalar product, like eiG AeiG =
i2 2
 
0 0 0 0 A + i[G, A] + [G, [G, A]] +
p x = p x x + p y y + pz z .
2!
 n n
Classically a vector is a quantity that under rotations i
+ [G, [G, [G, . . . [G, A]]] . . .] +
transforms like V R3 (or C 3 ), i.e. if R O(3), then n!
3
X we end up with the commutators
Vi0 = Rij Vj .
j=1
[Jj , [Jj , [ [Jj , Vi ] ]]].
In quantum mechanics V is a vector operator provided
that hV i C 3 is a vector: These will be evaluated in turn into operators Vi and Vk
(k 6= i, j).
R h|Vi |iR = h|D (R)Vi D(R)|i A vector operator (V ) is defined so that it satisfies the
3
X commutation relation
= Rij h|Vj |i,
j=1 [Vi , Jj ] = ihijk Vk .
|i H, R O(3).
We can easily see that for example p, x and J are vector
Thus we must have operators.
X In classical mechanics a quantity which under rotations
D (R)Vi D(R) = Rij Vj .
transforms like
j
XXX
Thus the infinitesimal rotations T ijk Rii0 Rjj 0 Rkk0 Ti0 j 0 k0 ,
| {z } i0 j 0 k0
iJ n
n indeces
D(n)
=1
h

is called a Cartesian tensor of the rank n.
satisfy Example The dyad product of the vectors U and V
   
iJ n
iJ n

1+ Vi 1 + Tij = Ui Vj
h h

i is a tensor of rank 2.
= Vi + (J nV + O(2 )
i Vi J n)
X h
Cartesian tensors are reducible, for example the dyad
= Rij Vj product can be written as
j
U V (Ui Vj Uj Vi )
or Ui Vj = ij +
 X 3 2
Vi + [Vi , J n]
= j.
Rij (n)V  
ih Ui Vj + Uj Vi U V
j + ij .
2 3
Substituting the explicit expressions for infinitesimal
rotations, like We see that the terms transform under rotations
2 differently:
1 2

 0
R(z ) = 1 2
2
0 , U 3 V ij is invariant. There is 1 term.


0 0 1
(Ui Vj Uj Vi )
2 retains its antisymmetry. There are 3
we get
 terms.
Vx + [Vx , Jz ] = Vx Vy + O(3 ).
ih
 
Ui Vj + Uj Vi U V
Handling similarly the other components we end up with 2 3 ij retains its symmetry and
tracelessness. There are 5 terms.
[Vi , Jj ] = i
hijk Vk .
We recognize that the number of terms checks and that
the partition might have something to do with the
Finite rotation
angular momentum since the multiplicities correspond to
A finite rotation specified by Euler angles is accomplished
the multiplicities of the angular momenta l = 0, 1, 2.
by rotating around coordinate axises, so we have to (k)
consider such expressions as We define the spherical tensor Tq of rank k so that the
    argument n of the spherical function
iJj iJj
exp Vi exp . Ylm (n)
= hn|lmi

h h

is replaced by the vector V : Under the infinitesimal rotations
 
m=q
Tq(k) = Yl=k (V ). iJ n

D(n)
= 1
h
Example The spherical function Y1 :
r r r a spherical tensor behaves thus like
3 3 z (1) 3
Y10 = cos = 7 T0 = Vz 
iJ n
 
iJ n


4 4 r 4 1+ Tq(k)
1
r r   h h
3 x iy (1) 3 Vx iVy
Y11 = 7 T1 = . k  
4 2r 4 2 X (k)
0 iJ n
= Tq0 hkq | 1 + |kqi
0
h
Similarly we could construct for example a spherical q =k

tensor of rank 2: k k
(k) (k)
X X
r r = Tq0 hkq 0 |kqi + iTq0 hkq 0 |J n|kqi,

2 15 (x iy)2 (2) 15 q 0 =k q 0 =k
Y2 = 7 T2 = (Vx iVy )2 .
32 r2 32
or
(k)
X
The tensors
(k)
Tq
are irreducible, i.e. there does not exist Tq(k) ] =
[J n, Tq0 hkq 0 |J n|kqi.

any proper subset q0

=z
Choosing n i
and x y we get
{Tp(k)
1
, Tp(k)
2
, . . .} {Tq(k) |q = k, . . . , +k},
(k) (k)
which would remain invariant under rotations. [Jz , Tq ] = hqTq

Transformation of spherical tensors and

Under the rotation R an eigenstate of the direction (k)
[J , Tq ] = h
p (k)
(k q)(k q + 1)Tq1 .
transforms like
Example Decomposition of the dyad product.
|ni 0 i = D(R)|ni.
|n We form spherical tensors of rank 1 from the vector
operators U and V :
The state vectors |lmi, on the other hand, transform
under the rotation R1 like
U0 = Uz , V0 = Vz ,
(l) Ux iUy Vx iVy
X
D(R1 )|l, mi = |l, m0 iDm0 m (R1 ). U1 = , V1 = .
m0 2 2
So we get Now

0)
Ylm (n 0 |lmi = hn|D
= hn (R)|lmi (0) U V U+1 V1 + U1 V+1 U0 V0
T0 = = ,
1
X
0 (l) 3 3
= hn|D(R
)|lmi = hn||lm
iDm0 m (R1 )
(U V )q
m0 Tq(1) = ,
X 0 (l) i 2
= Ylm m0 m (R1 )
(n)D (2)
m0
T2 = U1 V1 ,
X 0 (l) U1 V0 + U0 V1
= Ylm (n)D
mm0 (R). (2)
T1 = ,
m0 2
(2) U+1 V1 + 2U0 V0 + U1 V+1
We define a tensor operator Ylm (V ) so that T0 = .
6
0 (l)
X
D (R)Ylm (V )D(R) = Ylm (V )Dmm0 (R). In general we have
m0 (k ) (k )
Theorem 1 Let Xq1 1 and Zq2 2 be irreducible spherical
(k) tensors of rank k1 and k2 . Then
Generalizing we define: Tq is a (2k + 1)-component
spherical tensor of rank k if and only if
XX
Tq(k) = hk1 k2 ; q1 q2 |k1 k2 ; kqiXq(k1 1 ) Zq(kq 2 )
q1 q2
k
(k) (k)
X

D (R)Tq(k) D(R) = Dqq0 (R)Tq0
is a (irreducible) spherical tensor of rank k.
q 0 =k (k)
Proof: We show that Tq transforms like
or equivalently
k
(k) (k)
X

(k) Pk (k) (k) D (R)Tq(k) D(R) = Dqq0 (R)Tq0 .
D(R)Tq D (R) = q 0 =k D q 0 q (R)Tq 0 . q 0 =k
Now Proof: Due to the property

D (R)Tq(k) D(R) [Jz , Tq(k) ] = hqTq(k)

XX
= hk1 k2 ; q1 q2 |k1 k2 ; kqi we have
q1 q2
h0 , j 0 m0 |[Jz , Tq(k) ] hqTq(k) |, jmi
D (R)Xq(k1 1 ) D(R)D (R)Zq(k2 2 ) D(R)
XXXX = [(m0 m)
h qh] h0 , j 0 m0 |Tq(k) |, jmi = 0,
= hk1 k2 ; q1 q2 |k1 k2 ; kqi
q1 q2 q10 q20 so
(k ) (k ) (k ) (k )
h0 , j 0 m0 |Tq(k) |, jmi = 0,
Xq0 1 Dq0 1q1 (R1 )Zq0 2 Dq0 2q2 (R1 )
X1X X 1
XXX 2
X2 if m0 6= q + m
= hk1 k2 ; q1 q2 |k1 k2 ; kqi Theorem 3 (Wigner-Eckardts theorem) The matrix
k00 q1 q2 q10 q20 q 00 q0 elements of a tensor operator between eigenstates of the
hk1 k2 ; q10 q20 |k1 k2 ; k 00 q 0 i angular momentum satisfy the relation
(k00 ) (k ) (k )
hk1 k2 ; q1 q2 |k1 k2 ; k 00 q 00 iDq0 q00 (R1 )Xq0 1 Zq0 2 , h0 j 0 kT (k) kji
1 2 h0 , j 0 m0 |Tq(k) |, jmi = hjk; mq|jk; j 0 m0 i p ,
2j + 1
where we have substituted the Clebsch-Gordan series
expansion where the reduced matrix element h0 j 0 kT (k) kji depends
neither on the quantum numbers m, m0 nor on q.
(j ) (j )
Dm11 m0 (R)Dm22 m0 (R) = (k)
Proof: Since Tq is a tensor operator it satisfies the
1
X XX 2 condition
hj1 j2 ; m1 m2 |j1 j2 ; jmi
(k)
p
j m m0 [J , Tq(k) ] = h (k q)(k q + 1)Tq1 ,
(j)
hj1 j2 ; m01 m02 |j1 j2 ; jm0 iDmm0 (R) so
h0 , j 0 m0 |[J , Tq(k) ]|, jmi
Taking into account the orthogonality of the p (k)
=h (k q)(k q + 1)h0 , j 0 m0 |Tq1 |, jmi.
Clebsch-Gordan coefficients
X Substituting the matrix elements of the ladder operators
hj1 j2 ; m1 m2 |j1 j2 ; jmihj1 j2 ; m1 m2 |j1 j2 ; j 0 m0 i we get
m1 m2 p
= jj 0 mm0 (j 0 m0 )(j 0 m0 + 1)h0 , j 0 , m0 1|Tq(k) |, jmi
p
= (j m)(j m + 1)h0 , j 0 , m0 |Tq(k) |, j, m 1i
we get
(k)
p
+ (k q)(k q + 1)h0 , j 0 , m0 |Tq1 |, jmi.
D (R)Tq(k) D(R)
XXXXX If we now substituted j 0 j, m0 m, j j1 , m m1 ,
= kk00 qq00 hk1 k2 ; q10 q20 |k1 k2 ; k 00 q 0 i k j2 and q m2 , we would note that the recursion
k00 q10 q20 q 00 q0
formula above is exactly like the recursion formula for the
00
(k )
Dq0 q00 (R1 )Xq0 1 Zq0 2 ,
(k ) (k ) Clebsch-Gordan coefficients,
1 2 p
(j m)(j m + 1)hj1 j2 ; m1 m2 |j1 j2 ; j, m 1i
which can be rewritten as p
= (j1 m1 + 1)(j1 m1 )
D (R)Tq(k) D(R) hj1 j2 ; m1 1, m2 |j1 j2 ; jmi
p
X X (k ) (k )
+ (j2 m2 + 1)(j2 m2 )
= hk1 k2 ; q10 q20 |k1 k2 ; kq 0 iXq0 1 Zq0 2
1 2 hj1 j2 ; m1 , m2 1|j1 j2 ; jmi.
q0 q10 q20
P
(k) Both recursions are of the form j aij xj = 0, or sets of
Dq0 q (R1 )
X (k) (k) X (k) linear homogenous simultaneous equations with the same
(k)
= Tq0 Dq0 q (R1 ) = Dqq0 (R)Tq0 coefficients aij . So we have two sets of equations
q0 q0 X X
aij xj = 0, aij yj = 0,
j j
Matrix elements of tensor operators
one for the matrix elements (xi ) of the tensor operator
Theorem 2 The matrix elements of the tensor operator
(k) and the other for the Clebsch-Gordan coefficients (yi ).
Tq satisfy These sets of equations tell that
h0 , j 0 m0 |Tq(k) |, jmi = 0,
xj yj
unless m0 = q + m. = j and k fixed,
xk yk
so xj = cyj while c is a proportionality coefficient The coefficient cjm does not depend either on the
independent of the indeces j. Thus we see that quantum number m, because J V is a scalar operator,
so we can write it briefly as cj . Because cj does not
h0 , j 0 m0 |Tq(k) |, jmi depend on the operator V the above equation is valid
= ( constant independent on m, q and m0 ) also when V J and 0 , or
hjk; mq|jk; j 0 m0 i.
2 j(j + 1) = cj hjkJ kji.
h, jm|J 2 |, jmi = h
If we write the proportionality coefficient like
If we now apply the Wigner-Eckart theorem to the
h0 j 0 kT (k) kji operators Vq and Jq we get
p
2j + 1
h0 , jm0 |Vq |, jmi h0 jkV kji
0 = .
we are through. h, jm |Jq |, jmi hjkJ kji
According to the Wigner-Eckart theorem a matrix
element of a tensor operator is a product of two factors, for the ratios of the matrix elements. On the other hand,
of which the right hand side of this equation is

hjk; mq|jk; j 0 m0 i depends only on the geometry, i.e. h0 , jm|J V |, jmi

,
on the orientation of the system with respect to the h, jm|J 2 |, jmi
z-axis.
so
h0 jp
0
kT (k) kji
depends on the dynamics of the h0 , jm|J V |, jmi
2j + 1 h0 , jm0 |Vq |, jmi = hjm0 |Jq |jmi
system. h2 j(j + 1)
As a special case we have the projection theorem: Generalizing one can show that the reduced matrix
Theorem 4 Let (k)
elements of the irreducible product Tq of two tensor
1 1 (k1 ) (k2 )
J1 = (Jx iJy ) = J , J0 = J z operators, Xq1 and Zq2 , satisfy
2 2
h0 j 0 ||T (k) kji
be the components of the tensor operator corresponding to
 
0 XX k1 k2 k
the angular momentum. Then = 2k + 1(1)k+j+j
00 00
j j0 j 00
j
0 0 h0 , jm|J V |, jmi
h , jm |Vq |, jmi = hjm0 |Jq |jmi. 0 0
h j kX (k1 ) 00 00 00 00
k j ih j |Z (k2 ) kji.
h2 j(j + 1)

Proof: Due to the expansions
(0) U V U+1 V1 + U1 V+1 U0 V0
T0 = = ,
3 3
(U V )q
Tq(1) = ,
i 2
(2)
T2 = U1 V1 ,
(2) U1 V0 + U0 V1
T1 = ,
2
(2) U+1 V1 + 2U0 V0 + U1 V+1
T0 =
6
we can write

h0 , jm|J V |, jmi
= h0 , jm|(J0 V0 J+1 V1 J1 V+1 ), jmi
= mhh0 , jm|V0 |, jmi
h p
+ (j + m)(j m + 1)h0 , j, m 1|V1 |, jmi
2
h p
(j m)(j + m + 1)h0 , j, m + 1|V+1 |, jmi
2
= cjm h0 jkV kji,

where, according to the Wigner-Eckart theorem the

coefficient cjm does not depend on , 0 or V .