Three-dimensional Hilbert spaces and an introduction to angular momentum

Up until now, we have dealt with one-dimensional systems, such as the quantum harmonic oscillator. We will now think about three-dimensional Hilbert spaces. Let us consider linear combinations of two different types of basis functions in a onedimensional Hilbert space. ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

Functions 1 and 2 are infinites sums of plane waves and Dirac delta functions respectively. The latter can be interpreted as localized basis functions. In two dimensions, functions 1 and 2 become ( ( In general, ( ) ( ) ( ) ) ) ( ( ) ( ) ) ( )

However, you can express the left hand side of this equation as a linear combination of the right hand side. Finally, in three dimensions, functions 1 and 2 become ( ( ) ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

So far, I have only dealt with real space functions. The same treatment can be applied to eigenkets in Dirac notation. A position ket in a one-dimensional Hilbert space looks like | . In three-dimensions, the position ket is a direct product of x, y, and z kets. | | |

Function 2 can actually be written using the direct product notation.

) (

) ( ( |

| | | |)(| | | )

In the reverse direction, the direct product symbols can be dropped because | and company are numbers. So what does this mean? | | |

If we are describing a particle, then it is confined to positions y and z but free to act like along x. We can simplify the variables x, y, and z with the vector r. Consider the following cases. ( ( ) | | | | ) ( ) ( ) | | | |

Now lets ask some typical quantum mechanical questions about and its relationship with r. (1) What is the probability amplitude of finding the state at position r? | (2) What is the probability that a state in a three-dimensional Hilbert space has an x-coordinate equal to x? ( ) | | |

(3) What is the average location of particle described by the state vector ? | | The three-dimensional position operator R is a vector containing the onedimensional X, Y, and Z position operators. Therefore, it can be written as ( )

It can also be written as a linear combination of the standard basis vectors in threedimensional space

Plugging this back into the original equation addressing question (3) produces

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| (

| | )

| |

| |

(4) What is the mean value for the orbital angular momentum? | | | | |( | | | | | | | | | | )| |

In question (4), must be a ket in a three-dimensional Hilbert space. Using the canonical commutation relation, [ ] ,

we can derive another important commutation relationship between the x, y, and z components of orbital angular momentum. First, let us evaluate the commutator [Lx,Ly]. [ ] [ [ ] ] [ [ ] ] ( [ ) ] [ ] [ ]

Repeating this procedure for the two other commutators of the components of angular momentum yield these four relations. [ [ [ [ ] ] ] ]

The last relation is called the Einstein summation convention. It is this property that defines an angular momentum. Suppose you start with i=3 and j=2, the commutator [L3,L2]= [Lz,Ly] is [ ] ( )

Instead of dealing specifically with orbital angular momentum, I will generalize my discussion to some nonspecific angular momentum J, which can be orbital angular momentum, spin, or some combination.