Suppose two spin -1/2particles are known to be in the singlet configuration (Equation Let Sa(1)be the component of the spin angular momentum of particle number 1 in the direction defined by the unit vectora^ Similarly, letSb(2) be the component of 2’s angular momentum in the directionb^ Show that

Sa(1)Sb(2)=-24cosθ

where θ is the angle between a^ andb^

Short Answer

Expert verified

It is proved that Sa(1)Sb(2)=-24cosθ.

Step by step solution

01

Expression for the Singlet, Triplet and Pauli spin operators

The singlet state of two spin-12particles is defined as follows:

|00>12(-)

The triplet state of two spin role="math" localid="1658204414547" -12 particles is defined as follows:

|11||101/2(|+|)|1-1|

The action of Pauli spin operators on the quantum states is defined as follows:

Sz|=ħ2|Sz|=-ħ/2|Sx|=ħ/2|Sx|=ħ/2|

The previous spin states are orthonrmalized.

That is :

0011=001-1=1-111=0

And

0000=1111=1-11-1=1

02

Determination of the angle between  a^ and  b^

Assume, without loss of generality, that the component of the angular momentum vector of particle numberl,Sa1, is directed in the z direction while the component of the angular momentum vector of particle number2,Sb2, is located in the zx -plane with an angleθbetween the two normalized operators' vectors,a^andb^, respectively.

Sa1=Sz1andSb2=cosθSz2+sinθSx2

Calculate the expectation value ofSa1Sb2in the singlet state of the two spin--12particles,00>.

role="math" localid="1658206640658" Sa1Sb2=00Sa1Sb200=1200Sz1cosθSz2+sinθSx2-=1200Sz1cosθSz2+sinθSx2-1200Sz1cosθSz2+sinθSx2=1200Sz1cosθSz2+sinθSx2+1200Sz1cosθSz2+sinθSx2

Simplify the above expression.

1200Sz1cosθSz2+sinθSx2-1200Sz1cosθSz2+sinθSx2=1200Sz1cosθSz2+1200Sz1sinθSx2-1200Sz1cosθSz2-1200Sz1sinθSx2=cosθ200h2h2+sinθ200h2h2-cosθ200h2h2-sinθ200h2h2=cosθ2.h200-++sinθ2.h200+

Further evaluate the above expression.

-24cosθ0012-+24sinθ0012-=-24cosθ0000+-242sinθ0011+242sinθ001-1=-24cosθ+0+0=-24cosθ

The expectation value of the product of the operators Sa(1) and Sb(2)Sa(1)Sb(2) in the singlet state, |00, of the two spin- -12particles is: -24cosθ.

Thus,role="math" localid="1658204824299" Sa(1)Sb(2)=-24cosθwhereθis the angle betweena^andb^is 0.

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