Parity are equivalent:

The parity or space inversion operation converts a right

handed coordinate system to left handed: πT (dx0 ) = T (−dx0 )π.

x −→ −x, y −→ −y, z −→ −z. Substituting

i 0
T (dx0 ) = 1 − dx · p,
This is a case of a non continuous operation, i.e. the h̄
operation cannot be composed of infinitesimal operations. we get the condition
Thus the non continuous operations have no generator.
We consider the parity operation, i.e. we let the parity {π, p} = 0 or π † pπ = −p,
operator π to act on vectors of a Hilbert space and keep
the coordinate system fixed: or the momentum changes its sign under the parity
operation.
|αi −→ π|αi.
Angular momentum and parity
Like in all symmetry operations we require that π is In the case of the orbital angular momentum
unitary, i.e.
π † π = 1. L=x×p
Furthermore we require: one can easily evaluate
†
hα|π xπ|αi = −hα|x|αi ∀|αi. π † Lπ = π † x × pπ = π † xπ × π † pπ = (−x) × (−p)
So we must have = L,
π † xπ = −x,
so the parity and the angular momentum commute:
or
πx = −xπ. [π, L] = 0.
The operators x ja π anti commute. In R3 the parity operator is the matrix
Let |x0 i be a position eigenstate, i.e.
 
−1 0 0
x|x0 i = x0 |x0 i. P =  0 −1 0  ,
0 0 −1
Then
xπ|x0 i = −πx|x0 i = (−x0 )π|x0 i, so quite obviously
and we must have
P R = RP, ∀R ∈ O(3).
π|x0 i = eiϕ | − x0 i.
We require that the corresponding operators of the
The phase is usually taken to be ϕ = 0, so Hilbert space satisfy the same condition, i.e.

π|x0 i = | − x0 i. πD(R) = D(R)π.

Applying the parity operator again we get Looking at the infinitesimal rotation

π 2 |x0 i = |x0 i D(n̂) = 1 − iJ · n̂/h̄,

or we see that
2
π = 1. [π, J ] = 0 or π † J π = J ,
We see that which is equivalent to the transformation of the orbital
angular momentum.
• the eigenvalues of the operator π can be only ±1, We see that under
• π −1 = π † = π. • rotations x and J transform similarly, that is, like
vectors or tensors of rank 1.
Momentum and parity • space inversions x is odd and J even.
We require that operations
We say that under the parity operation
• translation followed by space inversion
• odd vectors are polar,
• space inversion followed by translation to the
opposite direction • even vectors are axial or pseudovectors.
Let us consider such scalar products as p · x and S · x. The explicit expression for spherical functions is
One can easily see that under rotation these are invariant, s
scalars. Under the parity operation they transform like m m (2l + 1)(l − m)! m
Yl (θ, φ) = (−1) Pl (θ)eimφ ,
4π(l + m)!
π † p · xπ = (−p) · (−x) = p · x
π † S · xπ = S · (−x) = −S · x. from which as a special case, m = 0, we obtain
r
We say that quantities behaving under rotations like 0 2l + 1
scalars, spherical tensors of rank 0, which under the Yl (θ, φ) = Pl (cos θ).
4π
parity operation are
Depending on the degree l of the Legendre polynomial it
• even, are (ordinary) scalars, is either even or odd:
• odd, are pseudoscalars. Pl (−z) = (−1)l Pl (z).

We see that
Wave functions and parity
Let ψ be the wave function of a spinles particle in the hx0 |π|α, l0i = (−1)l hx0 |α, l0i,
state |αi, i.e.
ψ(x0 ) = hx0 |αi. so the state vectors obey
Since the position eigenstates satisfy π|α, l0i = (−1)l |α, l0i.
π|x0 i = | − x0 i, Now
[π, L± ] = 0
the wave function of the space inverted state is
and
hx0 |π|αi = h−x0 |αi = ψ(−x0 ). Lr± |α, l0i ∝ |α, l, ±ri,
Suppose that |αi is a parity eigenstate, i.e. so the orbital angular momentum states satisfy the
relation
π|αi = ±|αi. π|α, lmi = (−1)l |α, lmi.

The corresponding wave function obeys the the relation Theorem 1 If

[H, π] = 0,
ψ(−x0 ) = hx0 |π|αi = ±hx0 |αi = ±ψ(x0 ),
and |ni is an eigenstate of the Hamiltonian H belonging
i.e. it is an even or odd function of its argument. to the nondegenerate eigenvalue En , i.e.
Note Not all physically relevant wave function have
H|ni = En |ni,
parity. For example,
then |ni is also an eigenstate of the parity.
[p, π] 6= 0,
Proof: Using the property π 2 = 1 one can easily see that
so a momentum eigenstate is not an eigenstate of the the state
1
parity. The wave function corresponding to an eigenstate (1 ± π)|ni
2
of the momentum is the plane wave
is a parity eigenstate belonging to the eigenvalue ±1. On
ψp0 (x0 ) = eip ·x /h̄ ,
0 0
the other hand, this is also an eigenstate of the
Hamiltonia H with the energy En :
which is neither even nor odd.
Because 1 1
H( (1 ± π)|ni) = En (1 ± π)|ni.
[π, L] = 0, 2 2

the eigenstate |α, lmi of the orbital angular momentum
(L2 , Lz ) is also an eigenstate of the parity. Now
Rα (r)Ylm (θ, φ) = hx0 |α, lmi.
In spherical coordinates the transformation x0 −→ −x0
maps to
r −→ r
θ −→ π − θ (cos θ −→ − cos θ)
φ −→ φ + π (eimφ −→ (−1)m eimφ ).
Since we supposed the state |ni to be non degenerate the
states |ni and 21 (1 ± π)|ni must be the same excluding a
phase factor,
1
(1 ± π)|ni = eiϕ |ni,
2
so the state |ni is a parity eigen state belonging to the
eigenvalue ±1
Example The energy states of a one dimensional
harmonic oscillator are non degenerate and the
Hamiltonian even, so the wave functions are either even
or odd.
Note The nondegeneracy condition is essential. For Let us suppose that at the moment t0 = 0 the state of the
p2 system is |Li. At a later moment, t, the system is
example, the Hamiltonian of a free particle, H = 2m , is
even but the energy states descibed by the state vector

2 |L, t0 = 0; ti
p0
H|p0 i = |p0 i 1
2m = √ (e−iES t/h̄ |Si + e−iEA t/h̄ |Ai)
2
are not eigenstates of the parity because 1 −iES t/h̄
=√ e (|Si + e−i(EA −ES )t/h̄ |Ai),
2
π|p0 i = | − p0 i.
because now the time evolution operator is simply
The condition of the theorem is not valid because the
states |p0 i and | − p0 i are degenerate. We can form parity U(t, t0 = 0) = e−iHt/h̄ .
eigenstates √
1/ 2(|p0 i ± | − p0 i), At the moment t = T /2 = 2πh̄/2(EA − ES ) the system is
in the pure |Ri state and at the moment t = T again in
which are also degenerate energy (but not momentum) its pure initial state |Li. The system oscillates between
eigenstates. The corresponding wave functions the states |Li and |Ri at the angular velocity

ψ±p0 (x0 ) = hx0 | ± p0 i = e±ip ·x /h̄

0 0
E A − ES
ω= .
h̄
are neither even nor odd, whereas
When V → ∞, then EA → ES . Then the states |Li and
0 0 0
hx |(|p i + | − p i) ∝ cos p · x /h̄ 0 0 |Ri are degenerate energy eigenstates but not parity
eigenstates. A particle which is localized in one of the
hx0 |(|p0 i − | − p0 i) ∝ sin p0 · x0 /h̄
wells will remain there forever. Its wave function does
are. not, however, obey the same symmetry as the
Example One dimensional symmetric double well Hamiltonian: we are dealing with a broken symmetry.

Selection rules
Suppose that the states |αi and |βi are parity eigenstates:

π|αi = α |αi
π|βi = β |βi,

where α and β are the parities (±1) of the states. Now

S y m m e tric (S ) A n tis y m m e tric (A ) hβ|x|αi = hβ|π † πxπ † π|αi = −α β hβ|x|αi,

The ground state is the symmetric state |Si and the first
so
excited state the antisymmetric state |Ai:
hβ|x|αi = 0 unless α = −β .
H|Si = ES |Si Example The intensity of the dipole transition is
π|Si = |Si proportional to the matrix element of the operator x
H|Ai = EA |Si between the initial and final states. Dipole transitions are
thus possible between states which have opposite parity.
π|Ai = −|Ai, Example Dipole moment.
If
where ES < EA . When the potential barrier V between
[H, π] = 0,
the wells increases the energy difference between the
states decreases: then no non degenerate state has dipole moment:

lim (EA − ES ) → 0. hn|x|ni = 0.

V →∞

The same holds for any quantity if the corresponding

We form the superpositions
operator o is odd:
1 π † oπ = −o.
|Li = √ (|Si + |Ai)
2
1
|Ri = √ (|Si − |Ai),
2
which are neither energy nor parity eigenstates.