Ladder Operator

In linear algebra (and its application to quantum mechanics), a raising or lowering operator (collectively known as ladder operators) is an operator that increases or decreases the eigenvalue of another operator. In quantum mechanics, the raising operator is sometimes called the creation operator, and the lowering operator the annihilation operator. Well-known applications of ladder operators in quantum mechanics are in the formalisms of the quantum harmonic oscillator and angular momentum.

Terminology

There is some confusion regarding the relationship between the raising and lowering ladder operators and the creation and annihilation operators commonly used in quantum field theory. The creation operator ''a''_''i''^† increments the number of particles in state ''i'', while the corresponding annihilation operator ''a_i'' decrements the number of particles in state ''i''. This clearly satisfies the requirements of the above definition of a ladder operator: the incrementing or decrementing of the eigenvalue of another operator (in this case the particle number operator).

Confusion arises because the term ''ladder operator'' is typically used to describe an operator that acts to increment or decrement a quantum number describing the state of a system. To change the state of a particle with the creation/annihilation operators of QFT requires the use of ''both'' an annihilation operator to remove a particle from the initial state ''and'' a creation operator to add a particle to the final state.

The term "ladder operator" is also sometimes used in mathematics, in the context of the theory of Lie algebras and in particular the affine Lie algebras, to describe the su(2) subalgebras, from which the root system and the highest weight modules can be constructed by means of the ladder operators. In particular, the highest weight is annihilated by the raising operators; the rest of the positive root space is obtained by repeatedly applying the lowering operators (one set of ladder operators per subalgebra).

General formulation

Suppose that two operators ''X'' and ''N'' have the commutation relation,
,X= cX,
for some scalar ''c''. If $$ is an eigenstate of ''N'' with eigenvalue equation,
$N, n\rangle = n, n\rangle,$
then the operator ''X'' acts on $$ in such a way as to shift the eigenvalue by ''c'':
\begin
NX, n\rangle &= (XN+ ,X, n\rangle\\
&= XN, n\rangle + ,Xn\rangle\\
&= Xn, n\rangle + cX, n\rangle\\
&= (n+c)X, n\rangle.
\end

In other words, if $$ is an eigenstate of ''N'' with eigenvalue ''n'' then $$ is an eigenstate of ''N'' with eigenvalue ''n'' + ''c'' or it is zero. The operator ''X'' is a ''raising operator'' for ''N'' if ''c'' is real and positive, and a ''lowering operator'' for ''N'' if ''c'' is real and negative.

If ''N'' is a Hermitian operator then ''c'' must be real and the Hermitian adjoint of ''X'' obeys the commutation relation:
,X^\dagger= -cX^\dagger.

In particular, if ''X'' is a lowering operator for ''N'' then ''X''^† is a raising operator for ''N'' and vice versa.

Angular momentum

A particular application of the ladder operator concept is found in the quantum mechanical treatment of angular momentum. For a general angular momentum vector, J, with components, ''J_x'', ''J_y'' and ''J_z'' one defines the two ladder operators, ''J₊'' and ''J_–'',
$J_+ = J_x + iJ_y,$
$J_- = J_x - iJ_y,$
where ''i'' is the imaginary unit.

The commutation relation between the cartesian components of ''any'' angular momentum operator is given by
_i,J_j= i\hbar\epsilon_J_k,
where ''ε_ijk'' is the Levi-Civita symbol and each of ''i'', ''j'' and ''k'' can take any of the values ''x'', ''y'' and ''z''.

From this, the commutation relations among the ladder operators and ''J_z'' are obtained,
\left _z,J_\pm\right= \pm\hbar J_\pm,
\left _+, J_-\right= 2\hbar J_z.
(Technically, this is the Lie algebra of $(2,\R)$).

The properties of the ladder operators can be determined by observing how they modify the action of the ''J_z'' operator on a given state,
\begin
J_zJ_\pm, j\,m\rangle &= \left(J_\pm J_z + \left _z, J_\pm\right\right) , j\,m\rangle\\
&= \left(J_\pm J_z \pm \hbar J_\pm\right), j\,m\rangle\\
&= \hbar\left(m \pm 1\right)J_\pm, j\,m\rangle.
\end

Compare this result with
$J_z, j\,(m\pm 1)\rangle = \hbar(m\pm 1), j\,(m\pm 1)\rangle.$

Thus one concludes that $$ is some scalar multiplied by $$,
$J_+, j\,m\rangle = \alpha, j\,(m+1)\rangle,$
$J_-, j\,m\rangle = \beta, j\,(m-1)\rangle.$

This illustrates the defining feature of ladder operators in quantum mechanics: the incrementing (or decrementing) of a quantum number, thus mapping one quantum state onto another. This is the reason that they are often known as raising and lowering operators.

To obtain the values of ''α'' and ''β'' first take the norm of each operator, recognizing that ''J''₊ and ''J''₋ are a Hermitian conjugate pair ($$),
$\langle j\,m, J_+^\dagger J_+, j\,m\rangle = \langle j\,m, J_-J_+, j\,m\rangle = \langle j\,(m+1), \alpha^*\alpha , j\,(m+1)\rangle = , \alpha, ^2,$
$\langle j\,m, J_-^\dagger J_-, j\,m\rangle = \langle j\,m, J_+J_-, j\,m\rangle = \langle j\,(m-1), \beta^*\beta , j\,(m-1)\rangle = , \beta, ^2.$

The product of the ladder operators can be expressed in terms of the commuting pair ''J''² and ''J_z'',
J_-J_+ = (J_x - iJ_y)(J_x + iJ_y) = J_x^2 + J_y^2 + i _x,J_y= J^2 - J_z^2 - \hbar J_z,
J_+J_- = (J_x + iJ_y)(J_x - iJ_y) = J_x^2 + J_y^2 - i _x,J_y= J^2 - J_z^2 + \hbar J_z.

Thus, one may express the values of , ''α'', ² and , ''β'', ² in terms of the eigenvalues of ''J''² and ''J_z'',
$, \alpha, ^2 = \hbar^2j(j+1) - \hbar^2m^2 - \hbar^2m = \hbar^2(j-m)(j+m+1),$
$, \beta, ^2 = \hbar^2j(j+1) - \hbar^2m^2 + \hbar^2m = \hbar^2(j+m)(j-m+1).$

The phases of ''α'' and ''β'' are not physically significant, thus they can be chosen to be positive and real ( Condon-Shortley phase convention). We then have:
$J_+, j,m\rangle = \hbar\sqrt, j,m+1\rangle = \hbar\sqrt, j,m+1\rangle,$
$J_-, j,m\rangle = \hbar\sqrt, j,m-1\rangle = \hbar\sqrt, j,m-1\rangle.$

Confirming that ''m'' is bounded by the value of ''j'' ($$), one has
$J_+, j\,j\rangle = 0,$
$J_-, j\,(-j)\rangle = 0.$

The above demonstration is effectively the construction of the Clebsch-Gordan coefficients.

Applications in atomic and molecular physics

Many terms in the Hamiltonians of atomic or molecular systems involve the scalar product of angular momentum operators. An example is the magnetic dipole term in the hyperfine Hamiltonian,
$\hat_\text = \hat\mathbf\cdot\mathbf,$
where ''I'' is the nuclear spin.

The angular momentum algebra can often be simplified by recasting it in the spherical basis. Using the notation of spherical tensor operators, the "-1", "0" and "+1" components of J⁽¹⁾ ≡ J are given by,
$\begin J_^ &= \dfrac(J_x - iJ_y) = \dfrac\\ J_0^ &= J_z\\ J_^ &= -\frac(J_x + iJ_y) = -\frac. \end$

From these definitions, it can be shown that the above scalar product can be expanded as
$\mathbf^\cdot\mathbf^ = \sum_^(-1)^nI_^J_^ = I_0^J_0^ - I_^J_^ - I_^J_^,$

The significance of this expansion is that it clearly indicates which states are coupled by this term in the Hamiltonian, that is those with quantum numbers differing by ''m_i'' = ±1 and ''m_j'' = ∓1 ''only''.

Harmonic oscillator

Another application of the ladder operator concept is found in the quantum mechanical treatment of the harmonic oscillator. We can define the lowering and raising operators as

$\begin \hat a &=\sqrt \left(\hat x + \hat p \right) \\ \hat a^ &=\sqrt \left(\hat x - \hat p \right) \end$

They provide a convenient means to extract energy eigenvalues without directly solving the system's differential equation.

Hydrogen-like atom

There are two main approaches given in the literature using ladder operators, one using the Laplace–Runge–Lenz vector, another using factorization
of the Hamiltonian.

Laplace–Runge–Lenz vector

Another application of the ladder operator concept is found in the quantum mechanical treatment of the electronic energy of hydrogen-like atoms and ions.
The Laplace–Runge–Lenz vector commutes with the Hamiltonian for an inverse square spherically symmetric potential and can be used to determine ladder operators
for this potential.
We can define the lowering and raising operators (based on the classical Laplace–Runge–Lenz vector)
$\vec = \left ( \frac \right ) \left \ + \frac$
where $\vec$ is the angular momentum, $\vec$ is the linear momentum, $\mu$ is the reduced mass of the system, $e$ is the electronic charge, and $Z$ is the atomic number of the nucleus.
Analogous to the angular momentum ladder operators, one has $A_+ = A_x+ i A_y$ and $A_- = A_x- i A_y$.

The commutators needed to proceed are:
_\pm , L_z = \mp \boldsymbol \hbar A_\mp
and
_\pm , L^2 = \mp 2 \hbar^2 A_\pm - 2 \hbar A_\pm L_z \pm 2 \hbar A_z L_\pm.
Therefore,
$A_+ , ?, \ell , m_\ell \rangle \rightarrow , ?, \ell , m_\ell+1 \rangle$
and
$-L^2\left ( A_+ , ?,\ell,\ell\rangle\right ) = -\hbar^2 (\ell+1)((\ell+1)+1)\left ( A_+ , ?,\ell,\ell\rangle\right )$
so
$A_+ , ?,\ell,\ell\rangle \rightarrow , ?,\ell+1,\ell+1\rangle$
where the "?" indicates a nascent quantum number which emerges from the discussion.

Given the Pauli equations
Pauli Equation IV:
$1 - A \cdot A = - \left ( \frac \right ) ( L^2 + \hbar^2 )$
and Pauli Equation III:
$\left ( A \times A \right )_j = - \left ( \frac \right ) L_j$
and starting with the equation
$A_-A_+, \ell^*,\ell^*\rangle = 0$
and expanding,
one obtains (assuming $\ell^*$ is the maximum value of the angular momentum quantum number consonant with all other conditions),
$\left ( 1 + \frac (L^2+\hbar^2) -i \fracL_z \right ), ?,\ell^*,\ell^*\rangle = 0$
which leads to the Rydberg formula:
$E_n = - \frac$
implying that $\ell^*+1 = n = ?$, where $n$ is the traditional quantum number.

Factorization of the Hamiltonian

The Hamiltonian for a hydrogen-like potential can be written in spherical coordinates as
H = 1/(2\mu) _r^2 + (1/r^2)L^2+ V(r)
where $V(r) = -Ze^2/r$
and $p_r$ is the radial momentum
$p_r =(x/r)p_x + (y/r)p_y + (z/r)p_z$
which is real and self-conjugate.

Suppose $, nl\rangle$ is an eigenvector of the Hamiltonian where $l\rangle$ is the angular momentum
and $n$ represents the energy, so $L^2, nl\rangle = l(l+1)\hbar^2, nl\rangle$ and we may label
the Hamiltonian as $H_l$
H = 1/(2\mu) _r^2 + (1/r^2)l(l+1)\hbar^2+ V(r)

The factorization method was developed by Infeld and Hull for differential equations.
Newmarch and Golding

applied it to spherically symmetric potentials using operator notation.

Suppose we can find a factorization of the Hamiltonian by operators $C_l$ as

and
$C_lC_l^* = 2\mu H_ + G_l$
for scalars $F_l$ and $G_l$. The vector $C_lC_l^*C_l, nl\rangle$ may be evaluated in two different ways as
$\begin C_lC_l^*C_l, nl\rangle & = (2\mu E^n_l + F_l)C_l, nl\rangle \\ & = (2\mu H_ + G_l)C_l, nl\rangle \end$
which can be re-arranged as
H_(C_l, nl\rangle) = ^n_l + (F_l - G_l)/(2\mu)C_l, nl\rangle)
showing that $C_l, nl\rangle$ is an eigenstate of $H_$ with eigenvalue
$E^_ = E^n_l + (F_l - G_l)/(2\mu)$
If $F_l = G_l$ then $n^' = n$ and the states $, nl\rangle$ and $C_l, nl\rangle$
have the same energy.

For the hydrogenic atom, setting
$V(r) = -\frac$
with
$B = \frac$
a suitable equation for $C_l$ is
$C_l = p_r +\frac - \frac$
with
$F_l = G_l = \frac$
There is an upper bound to the ladder operator if the energy is negative, (so $C_l, nl_\rangle = 0$
for some $l_$) then
from Equation ()
$E^n_l = -F_l/ = -\frac = -\frac$
and $n$ can be identified with $l_+1$

Relation to group theory

Whenever there is degeneracy in a system, there is usually a related symmetry property and group.
The degeneracy of the energy levels for the same value of $n$ but different angular momenta has been identified as the SO(4) symmetry of the spherically symmetric Coulomb potential.

3D isotropic harmonic oscillator

The 3D isotropic harmonic oscillator has a potential given by
$V(r) = \mu \omega^2 r^2/2$

It can similarly be managed using the factorization method.

Factorization method

A suitable factorization is given by
$C_l = p_r + \frac - i\mu \omega r$
with
$F_l = -(2l+3)\mu \omega \hbar$
and
$G_l = -(2l+1)\mu \omega \hbar$
Then
$E_^ = E_l^n + \frac = E_l^n - \omega \hbar$
and continuing this,
$\begin E_^ &= E_l^n - 2\omega \hbar \\ E_^ &= E_l^n - 3\omega \hbar \\ \dots & \end$
Now the Hamiltonian only has positive energy levels as can be seen from
$\begin \langle \psi, 2\mu H_l, \psi\rangle & = \langle \psi, C_l^*C_l, \psi\rangle + \langle \psi, (2l+3)\mu \omega \hbar, \psi\rangle \\ & = \langle C_l\psi, C_l\psi\rangle + (2l+3)\mu \omega \hbar\langle \psi, \psi\rangle \\ & \geq 0 \end$
This means that for some value of $l$ the series must terminate with
$C_ , nl_\rangle = 0$
and then
$E^n_ = -F_/ (2 \mu) = (l_ + 3/2) \omega\hbar$
This is decreasing in energy by $\omega\hbar$ unless for some value of $l$,
$C_l, nl\rangle = 0$. Identifying this value as $n$
gives
$E_l^n = -F_l = (n + 3/2) \omega \hbar$

It then follows the $n' = n - 1$ so that
$C_l, nl\rangle = \lambda^n_l , n - 1 \, l + 1\rangle$
giving a recursion relation on $\lambda$ with solution
$\lambda^n_l = -\mu\omega\hbar\sqrt$

There is degeneracy caused from angular momentum; there is additional degeneracy caused by the oscillator potential.
Consider the states $, n \, n\rangle, , n-1 \, n-1\rangle, , n-2 \, n-2\rangle, \dots$
and apply the lowering operators $C^*$:
$C^*_, n-1 \, n-1\rangle, C^*_C^*_, n-2 \, n-2\rangle, \dots$ giving the sequence $, n n\rangle, , n \, n-2\rangle, , n \, n-4\rangle, ...$
with the same energy but with $l$ decreasing by 2.
In addition to the angular momentum degeneracy, this gives a total degeneracy of $(n+1)(n+2) / 2$

Relation to group theory

The degeneracies of the 3D isotropic harmonic oscillator are related to the special unitary group SU(3)
, D. M. "." 33 (3) (1965) 207–211.

History

Many sources credit Dirac with the invention of ladder operators.https://www.fisica.net/mecanica-quantica/quantum_harmonic_oscillator_lecture.pdf Dirac's use of the ladder operators shows that the total angular momentum quantum number $j$ needs to be a non-negative ''half'' integer multiple of .

See also

* Creation and annihilation operators
* Quantum harmonic oscillator
* Chevalley basis

References

{{Physics operator

Quantum mechanics

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