Eigenfunctions of spin operator

function22
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
What are the eigenfunctions of the spin operators? I know the spin operators are given by Pauli matricies (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spin_operator#Mathematical_formulation_of_spin), and I know what the eigenvalues are (and the eigenvectors), but I have no idea what the eigenfunctions of the spin operator are. I searched google but I could not find a derivation. Does anyone know how to find the eigenfunctions of the spin operator?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Do you mean spin spherical harmonics? These are the functions that represent finite rotations in spin space, half-integer analogs to the Ylm's. They're briefly mentioned in Wikipedia, covered more in this article, and especially in books on angular momentum, like the monograph by Edmonds.
 
Like the Pauli matricies Sx, Sy, Sz, I know the eigenvalues/eigenvectors, but what are the eigenfunctions? I have no idea what they could be.
 
The spin space is an abstract finite dimensional (essentially C^(2s+1)) vector space. There are no <wavefunctions>, just normal quadratic matrices and matrices with one column.
 
Like the Pauli matricies Sx, Sy, Sz, I know the eigenvalues/eigenvectors, but what are the eigenfunctions?
No, NOT like the Pauli matrices. The Pauli matrices are the generators. I'm referring to the matrix functions that represent finite rotations. They are functions in the sense that they are functions of the three Euler angles. And they are eigenfunctions of S and Sz.
 
Insights auto threads is broken atm, so I'm manually creating these for new Insight articles. Towards the end of the first lecture for the Qiskit Global Summer School 2025, Foundations of Quantum Mechanics, Olivia Lanes (Global Lead, Content and Education IBM) stated... Source: https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/quantum-entanglement-is-a-kinematic-fact-not-a-dynamical-effect/ by @RUTA
If we release an electron around a positively charged sphere, the initial state of electron is a linear combination of Hydrogen-like states. According to quantum mechanics, evolution of time would not change this initial state because the potential is time independent. However, classically we expect the electron to collide with the sphere. So, it seems that the quantum and classics predict different behaviours!
Back
Top