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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Angular Momentum Coupling

Jouni Suhonen

subject

PhysicsAngular momentumClassical mechanicsTotal angular momentum quantum numberAngular momentum of lightAngular momentum couplingOrbital angular momentum multiplexingOrbital angular momentum of lightAngular momentum operatorAzimuthal quantum number

description

In nuclear physics, as also in atomic and molecular physics, the entities to be described consist of sub-entities with some orbital angular momentum and spin. The angular momentum of the entity is built, then, of the angular momenta of the sub-entities. This building process leads to quantum-mechanical angular momentum coupling. This chapter presents the basic machinery for treating angular momentum and its coupling. Clebsch-Gordan coefficients and 3j symbols are introduced. It is shown that Clebsch-Gordan coefficients and 3j symbols relate to the coupling of two angular momenta. Increasing the number of angular momenta to be coupled leads to more complicated coupling patterns. Transformations between different coupling schemes are mediated by 6j symbols and 9j symbols, relating to the coupling of three and four angular momenta respectively. A host of special relations and special cases are listed to make the manipulations of angular momentum algebra easier and more straightforward in the physical applications of the chapters to come.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2007-01-01
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-48861-3_1