Spin

Spin operators satisfy $[S_i,S_j]=i\hslash {\epsilon }_{ijk}{S}_k$ and are Hermitian traceless generators of rotations in finite-dimensional irreducible representations.

The uncertainty of a spin projection is measured by its variance. In a maximally polarized spin coherent state, the longitudinal variance is zero and each transverse variance is $S/2$ in units $\hslash =1$. The transverse fluctuations do not imply finite magnon occupation in an isotropic ferromagnet's polarized vacuum.

A classical spin is a fixed-length vector representing the orientation of a local magnetic moment. A classical limit of a large quantum spin replaces its components by this vector and minimizes the resulting energy. Its length is conventionally $S$ at leading order, whereas the exact quantum squared-spin eigenvalue is $S(S+1)$ in units $\hslash =1$.

The total spin is the vector sum of subsystem spin operators and generates their simultaneous rotation. For a rotationally invariant Heisenberg model, both its squared magnitude and any chosen component commute with the Hamiltonian. An anisotropic exchange or field can preserve only a component.

A spin rotation acts on a quantum state through the unitary representation generated by its angular momentum operators. With $\hslash =1$, rotation by angle $\theta$ about axis $\hat{\mathbf{n}}$ is $e^{-i\theta \hat{\mathbf{n}}\cdot \mathbf{S}}$. Simultaneously rotating every site is a global symmetry of an isotropic Heisenberg model.

If the Hamiltonian commutes with total $S^z$, simultaneous spin rotations $e^{-i\varphi S_{\mathrm{tot}}^z}$ form a circle group symmetry. In a state of definite total $S^z$, the transverse one-point averages vanish because $S^x\pm i{S}^y$ change that eigenvalue. A chosen classical orientation or symmetry-breaking limit requires separate care when constructing a linear spin-wave approximation.

A spin operator describes intrinsic angular momentum. Its components obey angular-momentum commutators; for spin one half, ${\hat{S}}_j=\hslash {\sigma }_j/2$ in terms of the Pauli matrices.

For a spin-half particle with $H=\alpha \mathbf{B}\cdot \mathbf{S}$ and $\mathbf{S}=\hslash \mathbf{\sigma }/2$, exponentiating the Pauli matrices gives a rotation about the field axis. A field along $y$ evolves initial $z$-up spin to $(\cos (\alpha Bt/2),\sin (\alpha Bt/2){)}^T$. The sign of $\alpha$ sets the precession direction. spin parallel to the field is conserved even while transverse components vary.

For a state initially $z$-up and precessing about $y$, measurement along $\mathbf{n}=(0,\sin \theta ,\cos \theta )$ has the displayed probabilities. eigenvectors can be chosen as $(\cos (\theta /2),i\sin (\theta /2){)}^T$ and $(i\sin (\theta /2),\cos (\theta /2){)}^T$. Their phases must be retained when taking inner products. Full $2\pi$ rotation changes their signs but leaves isolated-state probabilities unchanged.

For spin one-half, the Pauli representation makes every diagonal quadratic component a multiple of the identity. Thus $A{S}_z^2+B(S_x^2-S_y^2)=A{\hslash }^{2}I/4$ cannot split the doublet or cause spin reversal. This conclusion is special to this quadratic Hamiltonian and does not exclude linear Zeeman dynamics.

A wavefunction intended for a specified total-spin state contains components of other total spins. For an unrestricted determinant with one alpha and one beta orbital, $⟨S^2⟩=1-|⟨{\varphi }_{\alpha }|{\varphi }_{\beta }⟩{|}^2$ in units of ${\hslash }^2$.

A state with total spin angular momentum quantum number $S$ has $2S+1$ magnetic projections. A singlet state has $S=0$, a triplet state has $S=1$, and the $S=3$ chromium ground term is a septet.

The two-site quantum version of an XY model couples the transverse components of two spin one-half degrees of freedom. In the ordered basis $|\uparrow \uparrow ⟩,|\uparrow \downarrow ⟩,|\downarrow \uparrow ⟩,|\downarrow \downarrow ⟩$, its only off-diagonal entries are $H_{23}=H_{32}=-2J$. The parallel states have energies $-2h$ and $2h$; the symmetric and antisymmetric opposite-spin combinations have energies $-2J$ and $2J$ respectively. The latter is the singlet state. The formulas remain valid at accidental degeneracies.

A spin eigenstate along a specified axis is a simultaneous eigenstate of the squared spin operator $S^2$ and its component $S_{\hat{n}}$. Its eigenvalues are ${\hslash }^{2}s(s+1)$ and $\hslash m$, where $m=-s,-s+1,\dots ,s$. The axis must be specified because components along different axes generally do not commute. For spin one-half, the two field-axis eigenstates have projections $\pm \hslash /2$ and form the branches of a Stern-Gerlach experiment.

A spin-spin interaction couples two spin angular momenta. In an isotropic model it is proportional to their dot product, whose expectation in a total-pair-spin state follows from $2{\mathbf{S}}_i\cdot {\mathbf{S}}_j=S_{ij}^2-S_i^2-S_j^2$. Magnetic interactions generate examples in atoms and effective colour-magnetic interactions in hadron models.

For a spin-one-half ensemble, spin polarization measures unequal occupation or coherent alignment of spin states. A spin-dependent energy splitting does not alone determine the ensemble's response: occupation, temperature and spin relaxation matter. A spin polarization is distinct from a net change of charge density and from the optical polarization of waves.

For two levels separated by $\Delta E$ and with the plus label assigned to the upper level, thermal equilibrium gives $P=-\tanh (\Delta E/(2k_{B}T))$. The weak-splitting limit is $P\simeq -\Delta E/(2k_{B}T)$. Labels based on the lower-energy aligned moment reverse the reported sign without changing the population imbalance.

A beam's unequal population of spin projections along a specified axis. For spin-one-half particles the displayed longitudinal polarization uses populations parallel and antiparallel to the momentum. An unpolarized beam has equal populations and requires an initial-spin average in a cross section; a polarized beam weights the corresponding helicity amplitudes differently. This differs from photon linear polarization.

A spin texture describes how a spin expectation value or spin polarization varies with position or wavevector. It specifies a vector field, including its magnitude when that matters; a direction field alone is undefined wherever that magnitude vanishes. A Rashba spin texture is an example in which spin expectation values wind around circles in the plane of wavevectors.

The spin-rotation coupling contribution to a rotating-frame Hamiltonian couples angular velocity to angular momentum. When discussing spin alone, identify which part of the total angular momentum enters the effective model.

A transverse magnetic field rotates a nonequilibrium spin polarization while diffusion and spin relaxation redistribute it. The field dependence of a detector signal can constrain spin lifetime and transport parameters. A distribution of diffusion times and rotation of the injecting/detecting electrodes must be included when relevant.

Loss of transported spin polarization at an interface, distinct from bulk spin relaxation in an adjacent layer.

The distance over which a nonequilibrium spin imbalance decays appreciably in a diffusive conductor. In a simple diffusion-relaxation model it is ${\ell }_s=\sqrt{D{\tau }_s}$; interfaces can contribute additional spin-memory loss.

Exchange of energy between magnetic spin degrees of freedom and the surrounding lattice, allowing their temperatures to approach thermal equilibrium. It permits adiabatic demagnetization to cool a solid and its attached load.

A model using exponentially correlated magnetic fluctuations. For homonuclear dipolar relaxation, $T_1^{-1}=C[{\tau }_c/(1+{\omega }_0^2{\tau }_c^2)+4{\tau }_c/(1+4{\omega }_0^2{\tau }_c^2)]$. Its rate maximum occurs near ${\omega }_0{\tau }_c=0.616$; a single-frequency Lorentzian instead peaks at one.

The Jordan–Wigner transformation represents a one-dimensional spin one-half chain by fermions with a parity string preceding each site. With $P_n={\prod }_{m<n}(1-2n_m)$, one has $S_n^{+}=P_n{c}_n$ and $S_n^z=1/2-n_n$. The string converts the off-site canonical anticommutation relations into commuting spin operators. Adjacent exchange terms become quadratic fermion expressions, while a periodic end bond depends on global fermion parity.

For $S_n^{+}=P_n{c}_n$ with $P_n={\prod }_{m<n}(1-2c_m^{†}{c}_m)$, neighbouring Jordan–Wigner transformation strings differ by only the local parity factor. The canonical anticommutation relations give $(c_n+c_n^{†})(1-2c_n^{†}{c}_n)=c_n^{†}-c_n$, proving the displayed local spin identity. The closing bond of a periodic chain instead retains total fermion parity; cancellation on bulk bonds does not justify discarding that global sector.

For $S_n^{+}={\prod }_{m<n}(1-2n_m)c_n$ and periodic spins, the end exchange term carries the global fermion parity $P=(-1{)}^{N_f}$. Replacing the end bond by a uniform hopping expression requires $c_{N+1}=-P{c}_1$: even parity gives antiperiodic fermions, odd parity periodic fermions. Each resulting quadratic spectrum must be restricted to states of the parity used in its boundary condition.

With occupied fermion sites representing up-spins, use $s_1^{-}=f_1$, $s_2^{-}=P_1{f}_2$ and $P_1=(-1{)}^{n_1}=1-2n_1$. The canonical anticommutation relations imply $P_1^2=I$, $P_1{f}_1=-f_1{P}_1$ and $[P_1,f_2]=0$. Consequently the two sites commute as spin operators, while $[s_j^{-},s_j^{+}]=1-2n_j=-{\sigma }_j^z$. This normalization is essential: the unscaled combinations ${\sigma }_j^x\pm i{\sigma }_j^y$ are twice $s_j^{\pm }$.

The two-spin XY Hamiltonian becomesIn particular, $f_1^{†}{P}_1=f_1^{†}$ and $f_1{P}_1=-f_1$ fix the hopping signs. The modes $b=(f_1+f_2)/\sqrt{2}$ and $c=(f_1-f_2)/\sqrt{2}$ preserve the canonical anticommutation relations and give $H=2h+(-2h-2J)b^{†}b+(-2h+2J)c^{†}c$.

In units $\hslash =1$, spin one-half is the two-dimensional irreducible spin angular momentum representation with components $S_i={\sigma }_i/2$. The Pauli matrices give eigenvalues $\pm 1/2$ along every unit axis. The normalized $x$-axis states are $(|{\uparrow }_z⟩\pm |{\downarrow }_z⟩)/\sqrt{2}$.

An electron has spin one-half. Its intrinsic spin angular momentum has two possible components, $\pm \hslash /2$, along a specified unit vector $\mathbf{n}$. These are the two eigenvalues of the corresponding spin measurement; the spin is distinct from the electron's orbital angular momentum.

For a spin one-half system, an ideal projective measurement along a unit vector $\mathbf{n}$ measures ${\sigma }_{\mathbf{n}}=\mathbf{n}\cdot \mathbf{\sigma }$. Its eigenvalues are $\pm 1$, corresponding to physical spin angular momentum components $\pm \hslash /2$, and its orthogonal projections are ${\Pi }_{\pm }=(I\pm {\sigma }_{\mathbf{n}})/2$. For density matrix $\rho =(I+\mathbf{r}\cdot \mathbf{\sigma })/2$, the Born rule and the Pauli matrix multiplication law give the displayed probabilities. Thus a spin measurement along one direction tests only that component of the Bloch vector; measurements along three independent directions determine the entire density matrix.

For $\mathbf{n}=(\sin \theta ,0,\cos \theta )$, the normalized eigenstates of $\mathbf{n}\cdot \mathbf{S}$ arewith eigenvalues $+\hslash /2$ and $-\hslash /2$.

A Stern-Gerlach experiment separates atomic beams according to a component of their magnetic moment in a nonuniform magnetic field. For an appropriate two-state spin system, calibrated outputs distinguish the two spin eigenvalues; Stern-Gerlach expectation estimation explains how repeated fresh preparations turn channel counts into an expectation value.

The decisive contrast is between two separated components of an atomic beam and the continuous spread predicted for randomly oriented classical magnetic moments. Neither component need be an infinitely narrow spot: velocity spread and the resolving power of the scientific instrument affect the spatial image. The apparatus converts an internal magnetic moment into a displacement large enough to inspect, connecting angular momentum eigenstates to macroscopic evidence.

The ideal projective measurement of a spin-one-half component along a unit axis $\mathbf{n}$. The two outcomes have Born rule probabilities $⟨\psi |P_{\pm }|\psi ⟩$. For an input with Bloch vector $\mathbf{r}$, they are $(1\pm \mathbf{n}\cdot \mathbf{r})/2$. This model distinguishes a mathematical spin measurement from engineering a literal free-electron beam splitter.

An electrically neutral neutron still has a magnetic moment $\mathbf{\mu }={\gamma }_n\mathbf{S}$. A collimated beam passing through an inhomogeneous magnetic field experiences the force derived from $H=-\mathbf{\mu }\cdot \mathbf{B}$. In a region whose field axis is approximately fixed, a spin one-half neutron has two field-axis spin eigenstates, producing two allowed transverse forces and two separated beam components after a drift. A homogeneous field can cause Larmor precession but cannot separate positions through this force.

The neutron's negative gyromagnetic ratio interchanges which spin projection moves toward increasing field; it does not change the number of branches. An unpolarized beam gives equal ideal populations. A beam prepared in one field-axis eigenstate populates only one branch, so splitting into two observed spots presupposes both components and sufficient spatial resolution.

In 1922, Otto Stern and Walther Gerlach used an electrically heated oven to emit neutral silver chemical atoms. Two platinum apertures, a pinhole and a slit $0.03$–$0.04\mathrm{mm}$ wide, supplied collimation. The beam passed along a $3.5\mathrm{cm}$ knife-edge pole in a nonuniform magnetic field. At its end, a glass plate collected the condensed silver. Continuous pumping maintained vacuum; the thin deposit required development even after eight hours.^[ref]

The field-off image established the undeflected slit width. A comparison put field-on and field-off deposits on the same plate. Microscopy revealed two deflected bands, no detectable central component, and broadening attributed to the velocity distribution. Alignment and distance from the knife-edge affected the pattern; precise magnetic field gradient measurements were still pending.^[ref]

The apertures act as a collimator: they constrain the initial transverse positions and velocities, so a magnetic displacement can be distinguished from an initially broad beam. Vacuum reduces collisions that would destroy this preparation. Deposition integrates arrivals over the exposure; a darkened band is not a time-resolved record of individual chemical atoms. The field-off comparison tests whether the magnet changes the spatial distribution, while alignment checks address a geometric source of apparent asymmetry. Finite sensitivity qualifies the absence of a central deposit: it is an experimental upper limit, not a proof that exactly zero atoms landed there.

Let the atomic beam travel along $x$, with velocity $v>0$, and let $z$ measure displacement along the dominant magnetic field gradient. For a fixed effective magnetic moment component ${\mu }_z$, the magnetic dipole potential energy is $U\simeq -{\mu }_z{B}_z$. Taking its negative partial derivative givesA spatially uniform magnetic field can produce torque and Larmor precession, but cannot produce this translational separation. In a quantum state following a local internal energy eigenvalue $E_n(B)$, the more general expression is $F_z=-{\partial }_z{E}_n$, with effective magnetic moment $-\partial E_n/\partial B$. Treating that moment as constant is an approximation with a physical regime, not an extra measured fact. Assume the local magnetic field direction stays nearly fixed across the sampled beam, and that internal states follow it without transitions, as in the adiabatic theorem. The scalar gradient model describes the beam's neighborhood; it omits the full magnetic field's transverse components and fringe regions.

Assume a constant $G$ over magnet length $\ell$, followed by a field-free drift $D$. Neglect transverse motion at entry and changes in longitudinal velocity. Newton's second law gives transverse acceleration $a_z={\mu }_{z}G/M$ for whole-atom mass $M$. The magnet transit time is $t_m=\ell /v$, and the drift time is $t_d=D/v$. The magnet supplies both a displacement and an exit transverse velocity:The $\ell D$ contribution is motion with the acquired transverse velocity, not continued acceleration outside the magnet. For the plate-at-exit geometry, set $D=0$. For a nonzero entrance transverse velocity $w$, add $w(\ell +D)/v$. These terms show why initial collimation and flight geometry matter when inferring a magnetic moment from a deposit.

Choose hypothetical parameters $M=1.79\times 10^{-25}\mathrm{kg}$, $G=300\mathrm{T}{\mathrm{m}}^{-1}$, $\ell =0.035\mathrm{m}$, $D=0.100\mathrm{m}$, and $v=500\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. Approximate the two effective magnetic moments by ${\mu }_z=\pm {\mu }_B$, where the Bohr magneton is ${\mu }_B\simeq 9.274\times 10^{-24}\mathrm{J}{\mathrm{T}}^{-1}$. Then $|a_z|\simeq 1.55\times 10^4\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-2}$, $t_m=70\mu \mathrm{s}$ and $t_d=200\mu \mathrm{s}$. The positive displacement is about $0.0381\mathrm{mm}$ inside the magnet plus $0.2176\mathrm{mm}$ during drift: $d=0.2557\mathrm{mm}$, with full separation $2d=0.5114\mathrm{mm}$. These chosen values illustrate the model and are not reconstructed 1922 measurements.

The exit transverse velocity is only about $1.09\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$, small compared with the chosen forward velocity; this checks the small-deflection assumption. Halving $G$ halves $d$, doubling $v$ divides $d$ by four, and setting $D=0$ removes most of this example's separation. A real pole has fringe magnetic fields and a position-dependent gradient; these require a more complete trajectory calculation.

For an equally populated ideal pair of angular momentum eigenstates, the magnetic moment component takes two values, $\pm {\mu }_B$, and the displacements at fixed velocity are $\pm d(v)$. Compare a specified classical alternative: every chemical atom carries a permanent magnetic moment of fixed magnitude ${\mu }_B$, with independently isotropic initial orientations and no dissipative alignment. If $u=\cos \theta$, the sphere's area element is $2\pi du$, so $u$ has a uniform distribution on $[-1,1]$. With precession preserving this component in the ideal geometry, the displacement $d(v)u$ fills the interval $[-d(v),d(v)]$ continuously. A pair of bands therefore tests allowed components rather than merely proving that silver is magnetic. Other classical preparation assumptions would be different models and must be stated.

To include finite instrumental width, choose a normalized Gaussian distributionwith standard deviation $\sigma =0.035\mathrm{mm}$, representing a combined field-off spatial width. At fixed velocity the model probability density functions areEach has unit integral and zero mean; the different shapes, rather than a different average displacement, distinguish them. The discrete model has variance ${\sigma }^2+d(v{)}^2$, whereas the classical model has variance ${\sigma }^2+d(v{)}^2/3$. Their common mean also explains why the raw average landing position is insufficient to identify the internal quantum state.

Now choose a uniform distribution of forward velocities from $400$ to $600\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$, explicitly as an example rather than the oven's actual distribution. Average either conditional probability density function over that interval. The positive-channel displacement ranges from $0.1776$ to $0.3995\mathrm{mm}$, since slower chemical atoms spend longer accelerating and drifting. The two components broaden into bands even though their internal magnetic moment values remain discrete. The corresponding classical profile continues to populate the center. The displayed strip darkness is proportional to predicted deposited number density, with equal total arrivals; it is not a photograph or a calibrated optical response of a developed film.

Increasing the spatial width until it is comparable with $d$ can hide the two maxima. At fixed velocity, differentiating the two-state probability density function twice gives $p_{\mathrm{two}}^{\prime \prime }(0)={\varphi }_{\sigma }(d)(d^2-{\sigma }^2)/{\sigma }^4$: the central minimum becomes a central maximum when $\sigma >d$. Conversely, a broad distribution of velocities need not create a new internal component: it spreads each existing component through the $v^{-2}$ dependence. Further instrumental limits include collisions, aperture clipping of strongly deflected trajectories, asymmetric pole geometry, and nonlinear film development. Field-off widths and a mapped magnetic field gradient are needed to separate such effects. For a modern counting experiment, channel calibration and efficiency corrections belong to Stern-Gerlach expectation estimation; spatial separation alone does not supply those statistics.

The 1922 interpretation concerned space quantization of atomic magnetic moments in the old quantum theory. The modern electron spin proposal came in 1925; the original observers did not identify intrinsic electron spin as the cause of their splitting. An orbital interpretation then seemed plausible, but the later spin explanation gives a different account of the same two-component evidence.^[ref]

Modern atomic data assign neutral silver the ground state electron configuration $[\mathrm{Kr}]4d^{10}5s$ and electronic term ${}^2{S}_{1/2}$. The filled electron shells contribute zero net electronic angular momentum; the outer unpaired electron has orbital angular momentum $L=0$, spin $S=1/2$, and electronic total angular momentum $J=1/2$. The magnetic quantum number has two values $m_J=\pm 1/2$.^[ref]

In the effective electronic description,The minus sign matters: for positive $G$, the component with $m_J=+1/2$ has negative electronic magnetic moment and deflects toward negative $z$ in our coordinates. Calling the upper spot “spin up” without specifying the magnetic field and channel calibration can therefore reverse the assignment. The total angular momentum operator here sums electronic orbital angular momentum and electronic spin; $J$ is not a claim that the atomic nucleus has no spin. Hyperfine structure and nuclear magnetic moments can require additional internal levels, so a two-channel electronic approximation must be justified for the field and resolution being used.

This is a neutral atomic beam, not a beam of free electrons. The deflected mass in the flight equations is the entire silver chemical atom; its dominant electronic magnetic moment supplies the state-dependent force. Replacing that atom by a free electron would also introduce the charged particle's Lorentz force and a different preparation problem. The ideal two-state model is useful because it isolates the connection between discrete internal components and spatially resolved outputs; it does not retroactively turn the 1922 deposit into a direct contemporary identification of intrinsic electron spin.

The Holstein–Primakoff transformation represents a spin-$S$ 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 $|n⟩$, $0\le n\le 2S$, the raising and lowering matrix elements are $\sqrt{n(2S-n+1)}$ and $\sqrt{(n+1)(2S-n)}$. Their squared difference gives $[S^{+},S^{-}]|n⟩=2(S-n)|n⟩$, proving the spin commutation relations. Expanding the square root yields the linear spin-wave approximation and its interaction corrections.

On $0\le n\le 2S$, the raising/lowering amplitudes are $\sqrt{n(2S-n+1)}$ and $\sqrt{(n+1)(2S-n)}$. Their squared difference gives $[S^{+},S^{-}]=2(S-n)$. The order of the number-dependent square root is essential.

A spin-$S$ Hilbert space has dimension $2S+1$. Its Holstein–Primakoff transformation therefore uses only bosonic occupation numbers $0,1,\dots ,2S$. The square root annihilates the upper endpoint. A truncated linear spin-wave approximation formally enlarges this space; it is self-consistent only when boson depletion is small compared with $S$.

The components of spin angular momentum satisfy $[S_i,S_j]=i\hslash {ϵ}_{ijk}{S}_k$. In units $\hslash =1$, the spin ladder operators obey $[S^{+},S^{-}]=2S^z$ and $[S^z,S^{\pm }]=\pm S^{\pm }$.

The spin-$s$ irreducible representation has dimension $2s+1$, with basis $|s,m⟩$ for $m=-s,-s+1,\dots ,s$ and Casimir eigenvalue ${\hslash }^{2}s(s+1)$.

In the ordered angular momentum eigenstate basis $(|1,1⟩,|1,0⟩,|1,-1⟩)$, with positive raising coefficients,To derive them, $[J_3,J_{+}]=\hslash J_{+}$ restricts $J_{+}$ to its two adjacent superdiagonal entries. Write these real entries as $A,B\ge 0$. Since $J_{-}=J_{+}^{†}$, the relation $[J_{+},J_{-}]=2\hslash J_3$ reads $\mathrm{diag}(A^2,B^2-A^2,-B^2)=2{\hslash }^2\mathrm{diag}(1,0,-1)$, forcing $A=B=\sqrt{2}\hslash$. Adding and subtracting the ladder operators gives the displayed matrices. Direct multiplication verifies the angular momentum commutation relations and $J^2=2{\hslash }^{2}I$.

For active rotations with $U=e^{-i\varphi J_3}{e}^{-i\theta J_2}{e}^{-i\psi J_3}$, the irreducible spin representation matrix is $D_{m{m}^{\prime }}^{(j)}=e^{-im\varphi }{d}_{m{m}^{\prime }}^{(j)}(\theta )e^{-i{m}^{\prime }\psi }$, where $d_{m{m}^{\prime }}^{(j)}=⟨j,m|e^{-i\theta J_2}|j,m^{\prime }⟩$. Its spin-one-half middle matrix is $\left(\begin{array}{cc}\cos (\theta /2)& -\sin (\theta /2)\\ \sin (\theta /2)& \cos (\theta /2)\end{array}\right)$. A $2\pi$ rotation acts by $(-1{)}^{2j}$; only integer-spin representations descend to the special orthogonal group in three dimensions.

The rotation matrix about the $y$ axis in a spin-$j$ angular-momentum representation. For $j=1$, $d_{-1,+1}^1=(1-\cos \theta )/2$; its square gives the polar dependence of a transition between those spin projections.

For Hermitian $J_3$ and adjoint angular momentum ladder operators $J_{+}^{†}=J_{-}$ on a positive-definite inner-product space, a highest-weight vector of weight $j$ obeys $J_{+}|j,j⟩=0$. The commutation relations give $J_{+}(J_{-}{)}^{\ell }|j,j⟩=\ell (2j-\ell +1)(J_{-}{)}^{\ell -1}|j,j⟩$. Taking inner products forces $2j$ to be a nonnegative integer: otherwise the first negative factor would give a negative squared norm. The norm first vanishes at $\ell =2j+1$, so the generated unitary representation has dimension $2j+1$. Without positivity an abstract highest-weight module can remain infinite-dimensional even at an integral highest weight.

In the ordered spin-one basis $(m=1,0,-1)$, the second angular momentum operator satisfies $J_2^3=J_2$. Therefore its matrix exponential reduces to $I-i\sin \theta J_2+(\cos \theta -1)J_2^2$. A half-turn exchanges the two outer weights and negates the middle weight. Applied to the pion isospin triplet, this fixes the rotation factor in G parity.

The operators $S_{\pm }=S_x\pm i{S}_y$ satisfy

The spin raising operator $S_{+}=S_x+i{S}_y$ increases the magnetic quantum number by one and annihilates the maximal-weight state.

The spin lowering operator $S_{-}=S_x-i{S}_y$ decreases the magnetic quantum number by one and annihilates the minimal-weight state.

In descending $S_z$ order, the spin-$3/2$ raising operator has superdiagonal entries $\hslash \sqrt{3},2\hslash ,\hslash \sqrt{3}$; $S_x$ and $S_y$ are its Hermitian real and imaginary combinations.

A spin coherent state is obtained by rotating the maximal-weight state $|s,s⟩$ so that it is an eigenstate of spin along a chosen direction with eigenvalue $s\hslash$.

Prepare the $J_1=+\hslash$ spin coherent state and evolve with Hamiltonian operator $H=\omega J_3$ for time $t$. In the descending-$J_3$ basis of the spin-one angular momentum matrices, the initial vector is $(1,\sqrt{2},1{)}^{\mathsf{T}}/2$ and the evolved vector is $(e^{-i\theta },\sqrt{2},e^{i\theta }{)}^{\mathsf{T}}/2$, where $\theta =\omega t$. The $J_1$ orthonormal basis has vectors $(1,\sqrt{2},1{)}^{\mathsf{T}}/2$, $(1,0,-1{)}^{\mathsf{T}}/\sqrt{2}$ and $(1,-\sqrt{2},1{)}^{\mathsf{T}}/2$. Taking their inner products with the evolved vector gives probability amplitudes $(1+\cos \theta )/2$, $-i\sin \theta /\sqrt{2}$ and $(\cos \theta -1)/2$. Their squared moduli give the Born rule probabilities in the title. At integer half-turns $\theta =\pi k$, the outcome is deterministically $(-1{)}^k\hslash$.

In the ordered z-projection basis $|1,1⟩,|1,0⟩,|1,-1⟩$, the normalized eigenvector of $J_x\sin \theta +J_z\cos \theta$ with eigenvalue $+\hslash$ is the displayed vector. It follows by a y-axis rotation of the maximum-weight state, or direct solution of the tridiagonal eigenvalue equation. Squaring its entries gives the three z-projection measurement probabilities.

A spin coherent-state path integral inserts group-averaged resolutions of the identity between short time steps. Its kinetic term is the Spin coherent-state Berry phase, equal to $S$ times the oriented solid angle swept on the sphere.

At azimuth $\phi$, the normalized spin-$3/2$ coherent-state components are proportional to $1,\sqrt{3}{e}^{i\phi },\sqrt{3}{e}^{2i\phi },e^{3i\phi }$.

Larmor precession is the precession of a magnetic moment about an applied magnetic field. For a spin with gyromagnetic ratio $\gamma$ and Hamiltonian $H=-\gamma \mathbf{B}\cdot \mathbf{S}$, its expectation obeys $d⟨\mathbf{S}angle/dt=\gamma ⟨\mathbf{S}angleimes\mathbf{B}$. A spin coherent state retains its coherent form during this rotation.

The angular frequency of free Larmor precession in a uniform magnetic field of magnitude $B$, with gyromagnetic ratio $\gamma$. Interactions can shift a collective resonance away from this free-spin scale.

Under $H=-\gamma B{S}_z$, a coherent spin direction precesses around the $z$-axis with angular velocity $-\gamma B$.

The propagator $e^{i\gamma Bt{S}_z/\hslash }$ multiplies each magnetic component $|s,m⟩$ by $e^{im\gamma Bt}$.

The Heisenberg model couples neighboring or more general pairs of spins through ${\mathbf{\sigma }}_i\cdot {\mathbf{\sigma }}_j$. For all-to-all equal coupling, the Hamiltonian can be written in terms of the square of the total spin.

For two spin one-half systems, the dimensionless isotropic Heisenberg model coupling is $C=X\otimes X+Y\otimes Y+Z\otimes Z$, where $X,Y,Z$ are Pauli matrices. In the ordered computational basis $(|00⟩,|01⟩,|10⟩,|11⟩)$,where $S$ is the SWAP gate. This follows by acting on each basis state: the $XX+YY$ terms exchange the two opposite-spin states with coefficient two and annihilate the parallel-spin states. The symmetric three-dimensional sector has eigenvalue $1$ and the antisymmetric sector has eigenvalue $-3$. HenceThis identity explains how isotropic exchange interaction generates a SWAP gate at $a=\pi /2$ up to a global phase.

For $H=(\Delta /4){\mathbf{\sigma }}_1\cdot {\mathbf{\sigma }}_2-({\mu }_{0}B/2)(g_1{\sigma }_{1z}+g_2{\sigma }_{2z})$, the parallel-spin energies are $\Delta /4\mp {\mu }_{0}B(g_1+g_2)/2$. The zero-projection block has energies $-\Delta /4\pm \sqrt{{\Delta }^2+[{\mu }_{0}B(g_1-g_2){]}^2}/2$. Signed moment conventions must be fixed before assigning a physical opposite-charge case.

If $g_2=-g_1$ in a shared magneton convention, the Zeeman energy of both parallel-spin states cancels. Their energy stays $\Delta /4$, with exact degeneracy two for every field. Opposite charges alone do not enforce this equality because the masses and magnetic factors may differ.

If the differential Zeeman energy $|w|=|{\mu }_{0}B(g_1-g_2)|$ greatly exceeds $|\Delta |$, the two mixed levels are $-\Delta /4\pm |w|/2+O({\Delta }^2/|w|)$ and approach opposite-spin product states. Four energies are generically distinct. Equal signed moments have $w=0$, so that block remains singlet/triplet rather than being unmixed by a stronger field.

The XXZ spin chain has equal transverse exchange interactions and a possibly different longitudinal coupling. For $J>0$ the transverse coupling is antiferromagnetic, while the sign and size of $\Delta$ determine the longitudinal preference. A periodic even chain is bipartite. Its continuous symmetry is rotation about $z$ for generic $\Delta$, enhanced to full spin rotation at $\Delta =1$.