The Holstein–Primakoff transformation represents a spin- operator algebra with a bosonic creation operator and annihilation operator:
The order of the square root and oscillator operator matters. On the physical Fock states , , the raising and lowering matrix elements are and . Their squared difference gives , proving the spin commutation relations. Expanding the square root yields the linear spin-wave approximation and its interaction corrections.
Operator algebra 2026-10-06
An operator algebra is an algebra of linear operators, with multiplication given by composition. In quantum examples it can be generated by creation and annihilation operators subject to the canonical commutation relations or canonical anticommutation relations. Its analytic realization requires specifying a common domain for unbounded operators.