= Global phase zero mode of a finite rotor chain
{title2=$E_L=L^2/(2NI)$}
The uniform phase of a smooth N-site <coupled quantum rotor chain> remains a compact coordinate rather than a zero-frequency harmonic oscillator. At fixed total <angular momentum> L, minimizing the quadratic kinetic <energy> by a uniform local <momentum> gives the collective inertia NI and the displayed continuum zero-mode <energy>. Its allowed compact quantum numbers and any coupling to nonzero-mode boundary sectors must be imposed consistently. Removing this coordinate from oscillator products avoids a spurious divergent zero-mode partition factor.
Back to article page