Scribd
Upload
888 views

Matrix Representation of Angular Momentum

This document discusses the matrix representation of angular momentum. It begins by defining the angular momentum operator L and its properties for general spin j. It then provides the specific matrix representations for spin-1/2 and spin-3/2 cases. For spin-1/2, the angular momentum operators Lz, L+, and L- are given as 2x2 matrices. Similarly, for spin-3/2, the operators are represented by 4x4 matrices. In both cases, the matrix representations satisfy the expected properties from the general angular momentum equations.

Uploaded by

Shital babu Rijal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
888 views

Matrix Representation of Angular Momentum

This document discusses the matrix representation of angular momentum. It begins by defining the angular momentum operator L and its properties for general spin j. It then provides the specific matrix representations for spin-1/2 and spin-3/2 cases. For spin-1/2, the angular momentum operators Lz, L+, and L- are given as 2x2 matrices. Similarly, for spin-3/2, the operators are represented by 4x4 matrices. In both cases, the matrix representations satisfy the expected properties from the general angular momentum equations.

Uploaded by

Shital babu Rijal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Matrix Representation of Angular Momentum

David Chen
October 7, 2012

1 Angular Momentum
In Quantum Mechanics, the angular momentum operator L = r×p = Lx x̂+Ly ŷ+Lz ẑ
satisfies
L2 |jmi = ~ j(j + 1) |jmi (1)
Lz |jmi = ~ m |jmi (2)
The demonstration can be found in any Quantum Mechanics book, and it follows
from the commutation relation [r, p] = i~1
It is useful to define the rising and lowering operators L± ≡ Lx ± iLy , which have
the following property
p
L± |jmi = ~ j(j + 1) − m(m ± 1) |jm ± 1i (3)
And Lx and Ly are obtained from
Lx = (L+ + L− )/2
Ly = (L+ − L− )/2i (4)

1.1 Spin 1/2


If j = 1/2, the spin-space is spanned by two states: {|1/2 1/2i , |1/2 -1/2i}. The
properties Eq.(2) and Eq.(3) for this particular case are
Lz |1/2 ± 1/2i = ±~/2 |1/2 ± 1/2i (5)
L+ |1/2 1/2i = 0 (6)
L+ |1/2 -1/2i = ~ |1/2 1/2i (7)
(8)

1
If we use the matrix representation (1 0)T ≡ |1/2 1/2i and (0 1)T ≡ |1/2 -1/2i,
the operators are

   
~ 1 0 0 1
Lz = L+ = ~ L− = L†+ (9)
2 0 −1 0 0
and from Eqs.(4)
   
~ 0 1 ~ 0 −i
Lx = Ly = (10)
2 −1 0 2 i 0
and L = ~/2 (σx x̂ + σy ŷ + σz ẑ), where σi are the Pauli matrices. L2 and Lz are both
diagonal in this basis set, as expected from Eq.(1) and Eq.(2)
   
2 3 2 1 0 ~ 1 0
L = ~ Lz = (11)
4 0 1 2 0 −1

1.2 Spin 3/2


In this case, the spin-space is spanned by four states: {|3/2 ± 3/2i , |3/2 ± 1/2i}.
If we choose the following matrix representation
(1 0 0 0)T ≡ |3/2 3/2i (12)
(0 1 0 0)T ≡ |3/2 1/2i (13)
T
(0 0 1 0) ≡ |3/2 -1/2i (14)
T
(0 0 0 1) ≡ |3/2 -1/2i (15)
and following the same procedure as before gives
   √ 
3 0 0 0 0 3 √0 0
~ 0 1 0 0 L + = ~ 0 0 4 √0 
L− = L†+

Lz =   (16)
2 0 0 −1 0  0 0 0 3
0 0 0 −3 0 0 0 0

 √   √ 
√0 3 √0 0 0
√ - 3 0
√ 0
~ 3 √0 4 √0  i~  3 √0 - 4 √ 0 
Lx =   Ly =   (17)
2 0 4 √0 3 2  0 4 √0 - 3
0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0
and the total angular momentum satisfies L2 = 15~2 /4 · 1

2
References
[1] Gasiorowics, Quantum Physics

You might also like