SPIN 3/2

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Reference: Griffiths, David J. (2005), Introduction to Quantum Mechan-
ics, 2nd Edition; Pearson Education - Problem 4.52.
Post date: 28 Jan 2013.
Continuing our exploration of higher spin states, we can work out the
spin matrix Sx for spin 3/2. We use the raising and lowering operators first:

p
S± |s mi = h̄ s(s + 1) − m(m ± 1)|s m ± 1i (1)
Here, |s mi is an eigenstate of S 2 with eigenvalue s (s + 1) and of Sz with
eigenvalue m. We can work out the effects of S± on the various eigenstates
of Sz for s = 3/2 and get

3 3E
S+  = 0 (2)

22
3 1E √  3 3 E
S+  = 3h̄ (3)

22 22
3 1E 3 1E
S+  − = 2h̄ (4)
 
2 2 22
3 3E √ 3 1E
S+  − = 3h̄ − (5)
 
2 2 2 2
3 3E √ 3 1E
S−  = 3h̄ (6)
 
22 22
3 1E 3 1E
S−  = 2h̄ − (7)
 
22 2 2
3 1E √  3 3 E
S−  − = 3h̄ − (8)

2 2 2 2
3 3E
S−  − = 0 (9)

2 2
Combining these conditions, we get the matrix forms for S± :
 √ 
0 3 0 0
 0 0 2 0 
S+ = h̄  √  (10)
 0 0 0 3 
0 0 0 0
1
 SPIN 3/2 2

 
√0 0 0 0
 3 0 0 0 
S− = h̄ 
 0 2 0 0 
 (11)
√
0 0 3 0
so, since Sx = (S+ + S− )/2
 √ 
√0 3 0 0
h̄  3 0 2 √0 
Sx =    (12)
2 0 2 √0 3 
0 0 3 0
The characteristic equation for the matrix part of Sx is
√ √
−λ(−λ(λ2 − 3) − 2(−2λ)) − 3( 3(λ2 − 3)) = 0 (13)
λ4 − 10λ2 + 9 = 0 (14)
λ = ±3, ±1 (15)
Thus the eigenvalues of Sx are ±3h̄/2 and ±h̄/2 as expected.
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