November 11, 2009

Tensor Operators and the Wigner Eckart Theorem

Vector operator
The ket | αi transforms under rotation to | α0 i = D(R)| αi. The expectation value
of a vector operator in the rotated system is related to the expectation value in the
original system as
D E
hα0 | Vi | α0 i = α | D† Vi D | α = Rij hα | Vj | αi
i
With D(R) = e− h̄ J·n̂θ , and Rij an orthogonal 3X3 rotation matrix. Define a vector
operator as an object that transforms according to

D† Vi D = Rij Vj .

In the case of an infinitesimal rotation

RV = V + δθn̂ × V.

The effect of an infinitesimal rotation of V about J · n̂ by δθ gives us

i i
(1 + J · nδθ)V(1 − J · n̂δθ) = V + δθn̂ × V
h̄ h̄
i
→ [J · n̂, V] = n̂ × V
h̄
Then
i X
[Ji , Vj ]δθ = ijk Vk
h̄ j
→ [Vj , Ji ] = −ih̄ijk Vk
→ [Vi , Jk ] = −ih̄ijk Vj
→ [Vi , Jj ] = ih̄ijk Vj

[Vx , Jz ] = −ih̄Vy

1
or more generally
[Vi , Jj ] = ih̄ijk Vk
We can take that last as the definition of a vector operator. A rotation of a vector
operator is accomplished by computing
D† VD
It is convenient if we can write the operator in a basis of angular momentum eigen-
states since we know how to write D in that basis. So we might write the position
operator as
s
r 8π 1
x = (Y1 + Y1−1 ) s
2 3 3 z
s Y10 =
r 8π 1 4π r
y = (Y − Y1−1 ) s
2i 3 1 3 x ± iy
s Y1±1 = ∓ √
4π 0 4π 2r
z = r Y
3 1
√
where r = x2 + y 2 + z 2 . Some examples of vector operators are momentum, posi-
tion, and angular momentum. If we write our vector using spherical harmonics as a
basis then our definition of a vector operator reads
D† Vm D = Dmm
∗1
0 Vm0

where m = ±1, 0.

Cartesian tensor operator

We can form a rank 2 cartesian tensor T by taking the product of two cartesian
vector operators U and V .
Ti,j = Vi Uj
Then the transformation property follows as
D† Tij D = Rik Vk Rjl Vl = Rik Rjl Vk Ul
There are 9 components of this second rank cartesian tensor. And the components
do not transform irreducibly. In particular we can write T as
V·U Vi Uj − Vj Ui Vi Uj + Vj Ui V·U
Tij = δij +( )+( − δij )
3 2 2 3
2
Under rotations, the first term has a single component and is invariant, the sec-
ond term has 3 components and transforms like a vector, and the third term is a
symmetric, traceless tensor with 5 independent terms.
Meanwhile, suppose that T = xi pj where x and p are position and momentum
operators. The tensor will include a scalar x · p a vector x × p and a symmetric
traceless tensor 21 (xi pj + xj pi ) − 13 x · p. We could write the operator in a spherical
basis using spherical harmonics where we let
s s s s
3 x ± iy 3 1 z 1
Y1±1 = = sin θe±iφ , Y10 = = cos θ
8π r 8π 4π r 4π
and then
s s s s
3 3 1 1
Y1±1 (V ) = (Vx ± iVy ) = |V | sin θe±iφ , Y10 (V ) = Vz = V cos θ
8π 8π 4π 4π
So we have a recipe for translating a cartesian vector into a spherical l = 1 tensor.
Then we can combine the l = 1 tensors using Clebsch Gordon coefficients

Tqk = hkql1 l2 | l1 q1 l2 q2 iEql11 Fql22

X

q1 ,q2

pretty much the same as

Yl m = hl, ml1 , l2 | l1 , m1 , l2 , m2 iYl1m1 Yl2m2

X

m1 ,m2

And how does a spherical harmonic transform under rotations? First let’s start with
an example. Let’s suppose that we have a cartesian vector operator V = (Vx , Vy , Vz ).
We can also write it as V±1 = 21 (Vx ± iVy ), V0 = Vz . Let’s consider an infinitesimal
rotation of the vector about the z-axis. We will rotate the cartesian version using an
orthogonal matrix (SO(3)) and the spherical version using a representation of SU(2).
The SO(3) rotation of the cartesian vector is here
    
1 − 0 Vx Vx − Vy
0
V = Rz ()V ∼   1 0   Vy  =  Vx + Vy  (1)
    

0 0 1 Vz Vz

The SU(2) rotation of the spherical vector is

      
V1 1 − i 0 0 V1 V1 (1 − i)
0 i
V = Dz ()V ∼ (1− Jz )  V0  =  0
  
1 0   V0  = 
  
V0 
h̄

V−1 0 0 1 + i V−1 V−1 (1 + i)

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 0 0
Converting Vspherical to Vcartesian we get
0
V10 + V−1
     
V1 + V−1 − i(V1 − V−1 ) Vx + Vy
0 0 0
Vcart =  −i(V1 − V−1

)
 = 
 −i(V1 − V −1 − i(V1 + V ))
−1 

=  y − Vx 

V 
(2)
V0 V0 Vz

Comparing Equation 1 with 2 we see that the SU(2) representation of the rotation
by  is D(−) when the SO(3) representation is Rz (). We see this again as follows

| n̂0 i = D(R)| n̂i

D(R−1 )| l, mi = | l, m0 iDm
l −1
X
0 m (R )
m0
D E
n̂ | D(R−1 ) | l, m hn̂ | l, m0 iDm
l −1
X
= 0 m (R )
m0
0
Ylm (n̂0 ) = Ylm (n̂)Dm
l −1
X
0 m (R )
m0

We can turn Ylm (n̂0 ) into a more general vector operator V by setting V± = |V |Y1±1
and V0 = |V |Y10 .
0
→ D† (R)Ylm (V)D(R) = Ylm (V)Dm
l −1
X
0 m (R )
m0
0
Ylm (V)D∗ lmm0 (R)
X
=
m0

Now we define a spherical tensor as an object that transforms according to

D† Tqk D = Dm0 q (R−1 )Tmk 0 = D∗ kqm0 (R)Tmk 0

X X

m0 m0

On the left we rotate the state by R and then measure by taking the expectation
value. On the right we first measure the expectation value of each component of the
operator and then rotate those expectation values by R−1 . Then an infinitesimal
rotation gives us
i i X i

k 0
(1 + J · n̂θ)Tq (1 − J · nθ) = km | (1 + J · n̂) | kq Tmk 0
h̄ h̄ m0
h̄
iX
= Tqk + hkm0 | J · n̂θ | kqi Tmk 0
h̄ m0
→ [J · n̂θ, Tqk ] = hkm0 | J · n̂θ | kqi Tmk 0
X

m0

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If n̂ = ẑ then
[Jz , Tqk ] = qh̄Tqk (3)
or if n̂ = √1 (n̂x ± in̂y ),
2

Xq q
[J± , Tqk ] = h̄ k(k + 1) − q(q ± 1)hkm0 | kq ± 1iTmk 0 = h̄ k(k + 1) − q(q ± 1)Tq±1
k

m0
(4)

Selection Rule
We show that
D E
α0 , j 0 , m0 | Tqk | α, j, m = 0, unless m0 = q + m

Using Equation 3 we have

D E
0 = α0 , j 0 , m0 | [Jz , Tqk ] − h̄qTqk | α, j, m
D E
= h̄ α0 , j 0 , m0 | Tqk (m0 − m − q | α, j, m
D E
= h̄ α0 , j 0 , m0 | Tqk | α, j, m (m0 − m − q)

so if (m0 − m − q) 6= 0 then the expectationD value of Tqk does. If ETqk us a vector

operator (k = 1), then the matrix element α0 , j 0 , m0 | Tqk | α, j, m is zero unless
m0 − m = ±1, 0 and |j 0 − j| = 1, 0.
Tensor operators transform under rotations the same as angular momentum eigen-
kets. From Equation 4 we see that

Tqk | jmi =∝ | j 0 , q + mi.

The effect of the operator is to add q units of angular momentum.

Combining Rotation matrices

We can use the Clebsch Gordan matrix to combine rotation matrices. Let’s go back
to the general transformation from the m1 , m2 basis to the j, m basis.
X
| j, mi = | j1 , m1 , j2 , m2 ihj1 , j2 , m1 , m2 | j, mi
m1 ,m2

5
We can rotate the pieces by applying the rotation operator and we have
X
D(R)| j, mi = D1 (R)D2 (R)| j1 , m1 , j2 , m2 ihj1 , m1 , j2 , m2 | j, mi

or we could write
X
D(R)| j, mi = D1 (R)D2 (R)| j1 , m1 i| j2 , m2 ihj1 , m1 , j2 , m2 | j, mi

Then multiply from the left by

hj1 , m01 , j2 , m02 |hj1 , j2 , m01 , m02 | j, m0 i

X
hj, m | =
m01 ,m02

and we get
j j1 j2 0 0
X X
Dm 0 ,m = Dm 0 ,m Dm0 ,m hj1 , j2 , m1 , m2 | j, mihj1 , m1 , j2 , m2 | j, mi
1 2
(5)
1 2
m01 ,m02 m1 ,m2

Clebsch-Gordan Series
If we invert the above we have
X
| j1 , m1 , j2 , m2 i = | j, mihj, m | j1 , m1 , j2 , m2 i
j,m

Then rotation and multiplication from the left by the dual gives
j1 j2
hj 0 , m0 | D | j, mi hj1 , m01 , j2 , m02 | j 0 , m0 ihj, m | j1 , m1 , j2 , m2 i
X
Dm 0 ,m Dm0 ,m =
1 2
1 2
j,m,j 0 ,m0

The rotation does not change j so

j1 j2 j 0 0 0
X
Dm 0 ,m Dm0 ,m =
1 2
Dm 0 ,m hj1 , m1 , j2 , m2 | j, m ihj, m | j1 , m1 , j2 , m2 i (6)
1 2
j,m,m0

This is called the Clebsch Gordan series or the Kronecker or direct product of rep-
resentations and we can write

Dj1 ⊗ Dj1 = Dj1 +j2 ⊕ Dj1 +j2 −1 ⊕ ...Dj1 −j2

or
Dj1 +j2 0 ··· 0
 
 0 Dj1 +j2 −1 ··· 0 
Dj1 ⊗ Dj1 =  .. .. .. = | 00ih00 | αi
 
.

 . . 
0 ··· Dj1 −j2

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Integration over rotations
We want to consider
Z XZ
dRD(R)| αi = dR D(R)| j, mihj, m | αi
j,m

where Z 4π
Z
dα Z 4π dγ Z π dβ sin β
dR = =1
0 4π 0 4π 0 2
Then Z
j
dR Dmm 0 = δm,0 δm0 ,0 δj,0

This follows because integration over all angles averages over all directions and the
average is zero except for the that state that has no direction, namely j = m = 0.
Now we can use this result along with Equation 6 and write
Z Z
j1 j2 j 0 0 0
X
Dm 0 m Dm0 m dR = dR Dm 0 ,m hj1 , m1 , j2 , m2 | j, m ihj, m | j1 , m1 , j2 , m2 i
1 1 2 2
j,m,m0
= hj1 , m01 , j2 , m02 | 0, 0ih0, 0 | j1 , m1 , j2 , m2 i

We can guess at the relevant Clebsch Gordon coefficients. Write

X
| 0, 0, j1 , j2 i = hj1 , m1 , j2 , m2 | 0, 0, j1 , j2 i| j1 , m1 , j2 , m2 i
m1 ,m2

It is clear that j1 and j2 must be equal and m1 = −m2 for the coefficients to be non
zero. If for example j1 = j2 = 2 then

| 0, 0, 2, 2i = a| 2, 2, 2, −2i+b| 2, 1, 2, −1i+c| 2, 0, 2, 0i+d| 2, −1, 2, −1i+e| 2, −2, 2, 2i

No matter how we rotate the state there will be equal parts of all five components so
it must be that all the coefficients are equal magnitude. Then for the normalization
to be right
1
hj, m, j, −m | 0, 0, j, ji = √
2j + 1
and we can write
Z
j1 j2
Dm 0 m Dm0 m dR
1 2
= hj1 , m01 , j2 , m02 | 0, 0ih0, 0 | j1 , m1 , j2 , m2 i
1 2

δj1 ,j2 δm1 ,−m2 δm01 ,−m02

=
2j + 1

7
Then using D(R−1 ) = D† (R) we can see that
j 0
Dm,m 0 = (−1)
m−m
D∗ j−m,−m0

and we can write

Z
j1 ∗ j2
δj1 ,j2 δm1 ,m2 δm01 ,m02
Dm 0 m D m0 m dR = (7)
1 1 22 2j + 1

Integration of a triple product of rotation matrices

Begin with the Clebsch Gordon series, Equation 6.
j1 j2 j 0 0 0
X
Dm 0 ,m Dm0 ,m =
1 2
Dm 0 ,m hj1 , m1 , j2 , m2 | j, m ihj, m | j1 , m1 , j2 , m2 i
1 2
j,m,m0

J ∗
and multiply both sides by DM M 0 and integrate over R and use Equation 7
Z Z
j1 j2 J ∗ X j 0 0 0 J ∗
dR Dm 0 ,m Dm0 ,m DM M 0
1 2
= dR Dm 0 ,m hj1 , m1 , j2 , m2 | j, m ihj, m | j1 , m1 , j2 , m2 iDM M 0
1 2
j,m,m0
δm0 ,M δm,M 0 δj,J
hj1 , m01 , j2 , m02 | j, m0 ihj, m | j1 , m1 , j2 , m2 i
X
=
j,m,m0
2j + 1
1
= hj1 , m01 , j2 , m02 | J, M ihJ, M 0 | j1 , m1 , j2 , m2 i (8)
2J + 1
where we have used
j ∗ m−m j 0
Dm,m 0 (R) = (−1) D−m,−m 0 (R).

Meanwhile we have already shown that

s s
4π 4π
l
Dm0 (α, β, γ) = Y ∗ (β, α) = Y ∗ (n)
2l + 1 lm 2l + 1 lm
Substitution into 8 gives
v
u (2l1 + 1)(2l2 + 1)
Z u
∗
dΩYLM (Ω)Yl1 ,m1 (Ω)Yl2 ,m2 (Ω) = t hl1 , m1 , l2 , m2 | LM ihl1 , 0, l2 , 0 | L0i
4π(2L + 1)

8
Wigner Eckart Theorem
Spherical tensor operators transform according to

D† Tqk D D∗ kq,q0 Tqk0

X
=
q0

which implies that

Tqk DD∗ kq,q0 Tqk0 D†

X
=
q0
D E
→ α, j, m | Tqk | α0 , j 0 , m0
D ED E
∗k
α, j, m1 | Tqk0 | α0 , j 0 , m2 α0 , j 0 , m2 | D† | α0 , j 0 , m0
X
= hα, j, m | D | α, j, m1 i Dq,q 0
q 0 ,m1 ,m2
j0
D E
∗k
j
α, j, m1 | Tqk0 | α0 , j 0 , m2 D† m2 m0
X
= Dmm 1
Dq,q 0
q 0 ,m1 ,m2

Before integrating let’s look at that more carefully.

D† Tqk D = D∗ kqq0 Tqk0

X

q0
†
Tqk D| 0 0
D∗ kqq0 hjm |Tqk0 | j 0 m0 i
X
hjm |D jmi =
q0

hjm |D† | jm1 ihjm1 |Tqk | j 0 m2 ihj 0 m2 |D| j 0 m0 i = D∗ kqq0 hjm |Tqk0 | j 0 m0 i
X X

m1 m2 q0
j j0
D† mm1 hjm1 |Tqk | j 0 m2 iDm D∗ kqq0 hjm |Tqk0 | j 0 m0 i
X X
2m
0 =
m1 m2 q0
−1 j ∗k j0
hjm1 |Tqk | j 0 m2 i = D† |Tqk0 | j 0 m0 iD−1 m0 m2
X
m1 m D qq 0 hjm
q 0 ,m,m0
0
j
D∗ kqq0 hjm |Tqk0 | j 0 m0 iD∗ jm2 m0
X
= Dm 1m
q 0 ,m,m0

Then integrate over R using Equation 8 and we get

Z Z
0
D E
α, j, m1 | Tqk | α0 , j 0 , m2 j
D∗ kqq0 hαjm |Tqk0 | α0 j 0 m0 iD∗ jm2 m0
X
dR = dR Dm 1m
q 0 ,m,m0
1
hαjm |Tqk0 | α0 j 0 m0 ihjm1 | kqj 0 m2 ihkq 0 j 0 m0 | jmi
X
=
2j + 1 q0 ,m,m0

9
 D
0 0
E hjm1 | k, q, j 0 , m2 i X
α, j, m1 | Tqk | α ,j , m02 = hαjm |Tqk0 | α0 j 0 m0 ihkq 0 j 0 m0 | jmi
2j + 1 q 0 ,m,m0

With the sum over q 0 , m and m0 we can rewrite that last equation as
D E hjm1 | k, q, j 0 , m2 i
α, j, m1 | Tqk | α0 , j 0 , m02 = √ hαj ||T k || α0 j 0 i
2j + 1

All of the remaining dependence on m2 , q, and m1 is in the Clebsch Gordon coefficient

hj, m1 | k, q, j 0 , m2 i. The so called reduced matrix element hα, k ||T k || α0 , j 0 i does not
depend on m1 , m2 or q. Perhaps the significance is more obvious if we write it as
D E hjm1 | k, q, j 0 , m2 i
α, j, m1 | Tqk | α0 , j 0 , m02 = √ cj,j 0 (α, α0 )
2j + 1

cj (α) is a number that depends only on j, j 0 and α. α represents aspects of the state
that do not depend on orientation, like the radial dependence of a wave function. So
for an initial and final
D
state with j, j 0 , α, α0 E
and a spherical tensor operator Tqk , once
we have computed α, j, m1 | Tqk | α0 , j 0 , m02 for a particular m1 , m2 and q, we can
with the help of the Clebsch Gordon coefficient on the right, determine the reduced
matrix element cj,j 0 α,α0 . Then we compute any of the others by multiplying by the
appropriate Clebsch Gordon coefficient.

Tensor operator recursion relationship

D E
α0 , j 0 , m0 | [J± , Tqk ] | α, j, m
q D E
= h̄ k(k + 1) − q(q ± 1) α0 , j 0 , m0 | Tq±1
k
| α, j, m
q D E
→ (j 0 (j 0 + 1) − m0 (m0 ∓ 1) α0 , j 0 , m0 ∓ 1 | Tqk | α, j, m
q D E
− j(j + 1) − m(m ± 1) α0 , j 0 , m0 | Tkk | α, j, m ± 1
q D E
= h̄ k(k + 1) − q(q ± 1) α0 , j 0 , m0 | Tq±1
k
| α, j, m

We see that this is the same recursion relationship as for the Clebsch Gordon coef-
ficients. Therefore it is reasonable to conclude that the matrix elements are all pro-
portional to Clebsch Gordon coefficients which is precisely what the Wigner Eckart

10
Theorem says, namely
D E
D
0 0 0 k
E
0 0
α0 j 0 | |T k | | α, j
α , j , m | Tq | α, j, m = hjmkq | j , m , j, ki √ 0
2j + 1

Operator for E2 transitions

An example of a tensor operator. The interaction of an electromagnetic field with a
charged particle will correspond to a term in the Hamiltonian
e
Hint = p·A
2mc
If the fields are in the form of a plane wave then

A = A0 ek·r

 is the polarization vector. If k = 2πλ is small or λ is large compared to the extent

of the wave function (an atom), the we can expand in powers of k and
1
A ∼ A0 (1 + ik · r − (k · r)2 + ...
2
and
eA0
Hint ∼ ( · p + i( · p)(k · r) + ...)
2mc
The second term is the E2 transition operator and it will have the form

E2ij = pi rj

Implications
Matrix elements of a scalar operator T00 are zero unless m = m0 and j = j 0

hα0 j 0 | |S| | αji

hα0 , j 0 m0 | S | α, j, mi = δjj 0 δmm0 √
2j + 1

For a vector operator ∆m = ±1, 0 and ∆j = ±1, 0 and there is no 0 → 0 transition.

In fact that transition is forbidden for any rank except 0. Must be a higher order,
two photon transition.

11
Example of Wigner Eckart symmetry
Consider the dipole operator ~r. The matrix element
Z
hf | ~r | ii = Rf∗ (r)Ylf∗ ,mf (rY1,m )Ri (r)Yli ,mi d3 r
Z Z
= Rf∗ (r)rRi (r)r2 dr Ylf∗ ,mf (Y1,m )Yli ,mi dΩ
v
u (2li
+ 1)(2l + 1)
Z u
= Rf∗ (r)rRi (r)r2 drhli , mi , 1, m | lf , mf ihli , 0, 1, 0 | lf , 0it
4π(2lf + 1)
v
u (2li + 1)(2l + 1) Z ∗
u
= hli , mi , 1, m | lf , mf ihli , 0, 1, 0 | lf , 0it Rf (r)rRi (r)r2 dr
4π(2lf + 1)
1 hf, lf | |T 1 | | i, li i
rm = hli , mi , 1, m | lf , mf i q
2lf + 1)
where
r± = rY1,±1 (θ, φ), r− = rY1,0 (θ, φ)

Projection theorem
The theorem shows that an expectation value taken between states with the same
j, that a rank one tensor can be written as λJ where λ is some constant that is
independent of the z-component of angular momentum of the initial and final states.
D
0
E hα0 , jm | J · V | α, jmi
α , jm | Vq1 | α, jm = 2 hjm0 | Jq | jmi .
h̄ j(j + 1)
First note that J · V = J0 V0 − J+ V− − J− V+ Then
hα0 , j, m | J · V | α, j, mi = mh̄ hα0 , jm | V0 | α, j, mi
h̄ q
− j(j + 1) − m(m − 1) hα0 , jm − 1 | V− | α, jmi
2
h̄ q
− j(j + 1) − m(m + 1) hα0 , jm + 1 | V+ | α, jmi
2
= cjm hα0 , j ||V|| αji
where the Wigner-Eckart theorem is used in the last step. But J · V is a scalar
operator so its expectation value can have no m dependence. So cjm → cj . We
might have done the same exercise with V → J and then we would get
D E
α, jm | J2 | α, jm = cj hα0 , j ||J|| α, ji

12
Meanwhile we could have written from the WE theorem
hα0 jm0 | Vq | α, jmi hα0 , j ||V|| α, ji
=
hα, jm0 | Jq | α, jmi hα, j ||J|| αji
or
hα0 jm0 | Vq | α, jmi hα0 , jm |J · V| α, jmi
=
hα, jm0 | Jq | α, jmi hα, jm |J · J| αjmi
which implies

0 0 hα0 , jm |J · V| α, jmi
hα jm | Vq | α, jmi = 2 hα, jm0 | Jq | α, jmi
h̄ j(j + 1)

J · V is a scalar so its expectation value is independent of m. Therefore, the operator

V = λJ where λ is independent of m and m0 .

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