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Addition of angular momenta: Clebsch-Gordan coefficients

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Kapitel 6

Addition of angular momenta:

Clebsch-Gordan coefficients

Sophia Helmrich and Youssef Albannay

We often deal with systems in which the total angular momentum is composed of two
or more parts that are, to some approximation at least, independent of each other, e.g.,
particles with spin (in the non-relativistic limit), systems containing two or more par-
ticles such as many electron atoms, scattering and radiation processes etc. The problem
is to find out how the total angular momentum is related to its component parts. The
Clebsch-Gordan coefficients are numbers that arise in angular momentum coupling un-
der the laws of quantum mechanics. We will discuss them here.

6.1 Tensor product of group representations

In quantum mechanics, tensor products of Hilbert spaces arise frequently. If some par-
ticle is described by the Hilbert space H1 , and another particle is described by H2 , then
the system consisting of both particles is described by the tensor product

H = H1 ⊗ H2

If the first particle is in the state |ψ1 i and the seond one in the state |ψ2 i, then the system
is in the state
|ψ1 ψ2 i ≡ |ψ1 i ⊗ |ψ2 i .
In general, however, the states of the system consisting of both particles are given by
sums
∑ ψ1i ⊗ ψ2i .
i

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The tensor product of two linear operators A1 and A2 on H1 and H2 is defind by

(A1 ⊗ A2 ) (|ψ1 i ⊗ |ψ2 i) = A1 |ψ1 i ⊗ A2 |ψ2 i .

If D1 and D2 are representations of a group G on H1 and H2 , respectively, then the

tensor product representation D1 ⊗ D2 on H = H1 ⊗ H2 is defined by


D1 ⊗ D2 (g) := D1 (g) ⊗ D2 (g) , g ∈ G.

6.2 Tensor product of Lie algebra representations

Let L1 , L2 be representations of g, the Lie-algebra corresponding to G. We define a
representation L1 ⊗ L2 of g on H = H1 ⊗ H2 by


L1 ⊗ L2 (X) = L1 (X) ⊗ 1 + 1 ⊗ L2 (X)

This is designed so that when Li is the representation of g induced by the representation

Di of G then L1 ⊗ L2 is induced by D1 ⊗ D2 . For example, consider a system of two non-
interacting particles with spins s1 and s2 . The total angular momentum operator Jˆ (in
this case, just the total spin) is given by

J~ˆ = J~ˆ(1) ⊗ 1 + 1 ⊗ J~ˆ(2) .

Let
1
σk ,
ŝk := k = 1, 2, 3 ,
2i
where σk are the Pauli matrices. The matrices σk form a basis in su(2). We have

Jˆkl = ih̄ Lsl (ŝk ) , l = 1, 2.

Hence,




Jˆk = ih̄ L1 (ŝk ) ⊗ 1 + 1 ⊗ ih̄ L2 (ŝk ) = ih̄ L1 ⊗ L2 ŝk ,

that is, J~ˆ is given by the tensor product representation L1 ⊗ L2 .

6.3 Addition of angular momenta

Theorem 6.1. Let D j1 and D j2 be irreducible representations of SU(2). Then,

1 + j2
jM
D j1 ⊗ D j 2 = Dj 6.1
j=| j1 − j2 |

52
Proof. The characters χ of the representation D j1 ⊗ D j2 and χ ji of the representations
D ji are related by
χ = χ j1 χ j2 . 6.2
For u = exp(iωσ3 ), we find
j j
j
χ (u) = ∑ h j m| exp(iωσ3 )| j mi = ∑ exp(imω ) .
m=− j m=− j

This can be rewritten as

sin(( j + 1/2)ω )
χ j (u) = .
sin(1/2ω )
Then, 6.2 implies
sin(( j1 + 1/2)ω ) sin(( j2 + 1/2)ω )
χ (u) =
sin2 (1/2ω )
On the other hand,
j1 + j2 j1 + j2
sin(( j + 1/2)ω )
∑ χ j (u) = ∑
j=| j1 − j2 | j=| j1 − j2 |
sin(1/2ω )
" #
j1 + j2
Im ∑ exp(i( j + 1/2)ω )
j=| j1 − j2 |
=
sin(1/2ω )
" #
j1 + j2 | j1 − j2 |−1
Im ∑ exp(i( j + 1/2)ω ) − ∑ exp(i( j + 1/2)ω )
j=0 j=0
=
sin(1/2ω )

Now, we use

exp i( j + 1/2)ω = exp(iω /2) exp(iω ) j
and
n
1 − qn+1
∑ qk = 1−q
k=0

to obtain
h


i
exp(iω /2)
j1 + j2 Im 1−exp(iω ) exp iω | j1 − j2 | − exp iω ( j1 + j2 + 1)
∑ χ j (u) =
j=| j1 − j2 |
sin(1/2ω )
Im [i exp(i(| j1 − j2 |)ω ) − i exp(i( j1 + j2 + 1)ω )]
=−
2 sin2 (1/2ω )
cos(( j1 − j2 )ω ) − cos(( j1 + j2 + 1)ω )
=
2 sin2 (1/2ω )

53



cos ( j1 + 1/2)ω − ( j2 + 1/2)ω − cos ( j1 + 1/2)ω + ( j2 + 1/2)ω
=
2 sin2 (1/2ω )



sin ( j1 + 1/2)ω sin ( j2 + 1/2)ω
=
sin2 (1/2ω )
= χ (u) .

Since every element of SU(2) can be diagonalized, this holds for all u ∈ SU(2). This
proves the theorem.

As a consequence, the induced representation L j1 ⊗ L j2 of the Lie algebra su(2) decom-

poses as
1 + j2
jM
j1 j2
L ⊗L = Lj .
j=| j1 − j2 |

Accordingly, the total angular momentum operator Jˆ decomposes as

s1 +s2

Jˆk = ∑ ih̄ L j ŝk .
j=| j1 − j2 |

This is the reason why Theorem 6.1 is called the theorem on addition of angular mo-
menta.
Example 6.1. For j1 = j2 = 21 , we obtain
1 1
D 2 ⊗ D 2 = D1 ⊕ D0 .

For j1 = 1 and j2 = 21 , we have j1 + j2 = 3

2 and j1 − j2 = 1
2 and hence j = 12 , 12 and hence
1 3 1
D1 ⊗ D 2 = D 2 ⊕ D 2 .

6.4 Clebsch-Gordan coefficients

2 (1)
2 (2)
The operators Jˆ(1) , Jˆ3 , Jˆ(2) and Jˆ3 commute pairwise. Their simultaneous ei-
genvectors are
| j1 j2 m1 m2 i := | j1 m1 i ⊗ | j2 m2 i .

2
2
Similarly, Jˆ(1) , Jˆ(2) , Jˆ2 and Jˆ3 commute pairwise, too. We will construct vectors

| j1 j2 j mi

which are simultaneous eigenvectors, i.e., which satisfy

2
Jˆ(1) | j1 j2 j mi = h̄2 j1 ( j1 + 1)| j1 j2 j mi ,

54

2
Jˆ(2) | j1 j2 j mi = h̄2 j2 ( j2 + 1)| j1 j2 j mi ,
Jˆ2 | j1 j2 j mi = h̄2 j( j + 1)| j1 j2 j mi ,
Jˆ3 | j1 j2 j mi = h̄m| j1 j2 j mi .
(1) (2)
Since Jˆ3 = Jˆ3 + Jˆ3 , the | j1 j2 m1 m2 i are also eigenvectors of Jˆ3 :

Jˆ3 | j1 j2 m1 m2 i = h̄(m1 + m2 )| j1 j2 m1 m2 i .

It follows that
m = m1 + m2 . 6.3
Definition 6.1. The expansion coefficients

h j1 j2 m1 m2 | j1 j2 ji

of the vectors | j1 j2 j mi in the basis | j1 j2 m1 m2 i are called Clebsch-Gordan coefficients.

Example 6.2. Consider the special case of two spin 12 particles. In view of dealing with
spins, we denote s ≡ j and Ŝk ≡ Jˆk . The total spin operator is given by

Ŝk = ih̄(L1/2 ⊗ L1/2 )(ŝk ) ≡ Ŝ(1) + Ŝ(2)

We are going to construct the vectors |s1 s2 s mi explicitly. According to 6.3,

m = 1, 0, 0, −1 .

Write down all vectors |s1 s2 m1 m2 i and |s1 s2 s mi and give them a shorthand notation:

|s1 s2 m1 m2 i |s1 s2 s mi
| 12 1 1
2 2
1
2 i ≡ |++i | 21 1
2 1 1i ≡ |1 1i
| 12 1
2
1
2 −
1
2 i ≡ |+−i
1 1
|2 2 1 0i ≡ |1 0i
| 12 12 − 21 1
2 i ≡ |−+i
1 1
|2 2 1 − 1i ≡ |1 − 1i
| 12 12 − 1
2 −
1
2 i ≡ |−−i | 12 12 0 0i ≡ |0 0i

Due to 6.3, it is clear that the first eigenvector in the left row and the first eigenvector
in the right row must be parallel. Therefore, we can choose

|1 1i := |++i . 6.4

Now, we climb down by means of the ladder operator

(1) (2)
Ŝ− = Ŝ1 − iŜ2 ≡ Ŝ− + Ŝ− .

Applying Ŝ− to 6.4 and using the formula

p
Jˆ± | j mi = h̄ j( j + 1) − m(m ± 1) | j m ± 1i , 6.5

55
we obtain √
Ŝ− |1 1i = h̄ 2|1 0i
for the left hand side and
   
(1) 1 1 1 1 1 1 (2) 1 1
Ŝ− |++i = Ŝ− | 2 2 i ⊗ | 2 2 i + | 2 2 i ⊗ Ŝ− | 2 2 i
= h̄| 21 − 12 i ⊗ | 21 12 i + h̄| 21 12 i ⊗ | 21 − 12 i
= h̄|−+i + h̄|+−i

for the right hand side. Hence,

1 1

|1 0i = √ |−+i + √ |+−i . 6.6
2 2
The coefficients √1 are called Clebsch-Gordan coefficients. Applying Ŝ− once again to
2
6.6, we obtain √
Ŝ− |1 0i = h̄ 2|1 − 1i
for the left hand side and
1
1  (1) 1  1 
(2)

√ Ŝ− |−+i + |+−i = √ Ŝ− | 2 − 21 i ⊗ | 12 21 i + √ | 21 − 12 i ⊗ Ŝ− | 21 21 i
2 2 2
1  (1) 1 1  1 1 
(2)

+ √ Ŝ− | 2 2 i ⊗ | 2 − 12 i + √ | 21 12 i ⊗ Ŝ− | 21 − 12 i
2 2
h̄ 1 h̄
= 0 + √ | 2 − 21 i ⊗ | 21 − 12 i + √ | 21 − 21 i ⊗ | 21 − 12 i + 0
2 2
√
= h̄ 2|−−i .

Hence,
|1 − 1i = |−−i .
To determine |0 0i, we expand it,

|0 0i = A|++i + B|+−i +C|−+i + D|−−i

where
|A|2 + |B|2 + |C|2 + |D|2 = 1.
As the eigenspaces of the self-adjoint operator Ŝ2 are mutually orthogonal, |0 0i must
be orthogonal to |1 1i, |1 0i and |1 − 1i. This yields

h1 1|0 0i = A = 0 , h1 0|0 0i = B +C = 0 , h1 − 1|0 0i = D = 0 .

In accordance with the Condon-Shortley convention (c.f. Cornwell, §12.5) we choose B

to be positive. Then, normalization yields
1 1
|0 0i = √ | + −i − √ | − +i .
2 2

56

2
2
Thus, we have completed the construction of the common eigenbasis of Ŝ(1) , Ŝ(2) ,
Ŝ2 and Ŝ3 . We summarize:
1 1
|1 1i = |++i , |1 0i = √ |+−i + √ |−+i , |1 − 1i = |−−i
2 2
1 1
|0 0i = √ |+−i − √ |−+i .
2 2
In matrix form, the change of basis reads
    
|1 1i 1 p0 p0 0 |++i
 |1 0i  0 1/2 1/2  |+−i .
0  
|1 − 1i = 0
  
p 0 p0 1 |−+i
|0 0i 0 1/2 − 1/2 0 |−−i

Remark
1
By similar computations, we obtain the Clebsch-Gordan coefficients for j2 = 2 and arbi-
trary values of j1 :

1 1 1
h j1 2 m1 m2 | j1 2 s mi m2 = 2 m2 = − 12
q q
j1 +m+1/2 j1 −m+1/2
j = j1 + 12 2 j1 +1 2 j1 +1
q q
j1 −m+1/2 j1 +m+1/2
j = j1 − 12 − 2 j1 +1 2 j1 +1

Theorem 6.2. The two bases | j1 j2 m1 m2 i and | j1 j2 j mi are related by

j1 j2
| j1 j2 j mi = ∑ ∑ h j1 j2 m1 m2 | j1 j2 j mi| j1 j2 m1 m2 i ,
m1 =− j1 m2 =− j2
j1 + j2 j
| j1 j2 m1 m2 i = ∑ ∑ h j1 j2 j m| j1 j2 m1 m2 i| j1 j2 j mi ,
j=| j1 − j2 | m=− j

where h j1 j2 m1 m2 | j1 j2 j mi are called Clebsch-Gordan coefficients.

Proof. For given values of j1 and j2 , the values of j are restricted by the condition

j1 + j2 ≥ j ≥ | j1 − j2 |

and j runs from j1 + j2 down to | j1 − j2 | in integer steps. For j = j1 + j2 , the Clebsch-

Gordan coefficients h j1 j2 m1 m2 | j1 j2 j mi can be read off from the sequence of equations
obtained by repeated application of the ladder operator Jˆ− to

| j1 , j2 , j1 + j2 , j1 + j2 i = | j1 j2 j1 j2 i .

57
As an example, consider the first step. Using 6.5, we obtain
p
Jˆ− | j1 , j2 , j1 + j2 , j1 + j2 i = 2( j1 + j2 )| j1 , j2 , j1 + j2 , j1 + j2 − 1i

for the left hand side and

   
(1) (2)
Jˆ− | j1 j2 j1 j2 i = Jˆ− | j1 j1 i ⊗ | j2 j2 i + | j1 j1 i ⊗ Jˆ− | j2 j2 i
p p
= 2 j1 | j1 j1 − 1i ⊗ | j2 j2 i + 2 j2 | j1 j1 i ⊗ | j2 j2 − 1i

for the right hand side. This yields

s s
j1 j2
| j1 , j2 , j1 + j2 , j1 + j2 − 1i = | j1 , j2 , j1 − 1, j2 i + | j1 , j2 , j1 , j2 − 1i .
j1 + j2 j1 + j2

We read off
q
j1

q j1 + j2
 m1 = j1 − 1, m2 = j2
h j1 j2 m1 m2 | j1 , j2 , j1 + j2 , j1 + j2 − 1i = j2
m1 = j1 , m2 = j2 − 1

 j1 + j2

0 otherwise

(in view of 6.3, it is clear that h j1 j2 m1 m2 | j1 j2 j mi = 0 unless m = m1 + m2 ).

For j = j1 + j2 − 1 etc., one first has to choose a vector | j1 j2 j ji in such a way that it
is orthogonal to all the vectors | j1 j2 j′ ji, j1 + j2 ≥ j′ > j found before. Then, application
of Jˆ− to the expansion of this vector in the basis | j1 j2 m1 m2 i yields a sequence of
equations from which the Clebsch-Gordan coefficients h j1 j2 m1 m2 | j1 j2 j mi with the
fixed value of j under consideration can be read off.

Remark
The reduction procedure applied in the proof of Theorem 6.2 yields another proof of
Theorem 6.1. Indeed, the wave functions |s1 s2 m1 m2 i and |s1 s2 s mi form bases in the
tensor representation space V = V j1 ⊗V j2 . This space has dimension
s1 +s2
dim(V ) = (2s1 + 1)(2s2 + 1) = ∑ .
s=|s1 −s2

Under group transformations, the wave functions |s1 s2 m1 m2 i transform according to

the representation Ds1 ⊗ Ds2 of SU(2):

|s1 s2 m1 m2 i 7→ |s1 s2 m1 m2 i′ = (Ds1 ⊗ Ds2 ) (a)|s1 s2 m1 m2 i

! !
= ∑ Dsm11n1 (a)|s1 n1i ⊗ ∑ Dsm22n2 (a)|s2 n2i
n1 n2
s1 s2
= ∑ Dm1 n1 (a)Dm2 n2 (a)|s1 s2 n1 n2 i ,
n1 ,n2

58
where a ∈ SU(2). On the other hand, the wave functions |s1 s2 s mi transform according
to the representation Ds :
|s1 s2 s mi 7→ |s1 s2 s mi′ = Ds (a)|s1 s2 s mi = ∑ Dsmn |s1 s2 s ni .
n

It follows that the transformation of V which transforms the basis |s1 s2 m1 m2 i into the
basis |s1 s2 s mi provides the following equivalence of representations of SU(2):
s1 +s2
Ds1 ⊗ Ds2 = ∑ Ds .
s=|s1 −s2 |

The relations between the corresponding representation matrices are given by

Dsmn (a) = hs1 s2 s m| (Ds1 ⊗ Ds2 ) (a)|s1 s2 s ni
= ∑ hs1 s2 s m|s1 s2 m1 m2 ihs1 s2 m1 m2 | (Ds1 ⊗ Ds2 ) (a)|s1 s2 n1 n2 i × · · ·
m1 +m2 =m
n1 +n2 =n · · · × hs1 s2 n1 n2 |s1 s2 s ni
= ∑ hs1 s2 s m|s1 s2 m1 m2 i Dsm11 n1 (a) Dsm22 n2 (a) hs1 s2 n1 n2 |s1 s2 s ni
m +m =m
1 2
n1 +n2 =n

and, analogously,
Dsm11 n1 (a)Dsm22 n2 (a) = hs1 s2 m1 m2 | (Ds1 ⊗ Ds2 ) (a)|s1 s2 n1 n2 i
s1 +s2
= ∑ hs1 s2 m1 m2 |Ds (a)|s1 s2 n1 n2 i
s=|s1 −s2 |
s1 +s2
= ∑ hs1 s2 m1 m2 |s1 s2 s mihs1 s2 s m |Ds (a)|s1 s2 s n i × · · ·
s=|s1 −s2 |
· · · × hs1 s2 s n |s1 s2 n1 n2 i
s1 +s2
= ∑ hs1 s2 m1 m2 |s1 s2 s mi Dsmn (a) hs1 s2 s n |s1 s2 n1 n2 i ,
s=|s1 −s2 |

where m = m1 + m2 and n = n1 + n2 .

6.5 Properties of the Clebsch-Gordan coefficient

1. The Clebsch-Gordan coefficients h j1 j2 m1 m2 | j1 j2 j mi vanish unless m = m1 + m2
and | j1 − j2 | ≤ j ≤ j+ j2 .
2. For each fixed value of j, the vectors | j1 j2 j mi are determined up to a common
phase. By convention, these phase factors are chosen in such a way that
h j1 j2 m1 m2 | j1 j2 j ji is real and positive.
Then, all Clebsch-Gordan coefficients are real.

59
 3. The Clebsch-Gordan coefficients possess the symmetry property

h j1 j2 m1 m2 | j1 j2 j mi = (−1) j+ j1 + j2 h j2 j1 m2 m1 | j2 j1 j mi .

4. The Clebsch-Gordan coefficients h j1 , j2 , j1 , j − j1 | j1 , j2 , j, ji are real and positive.

5. One has the orthogonality condition

∑h j1 j2 m1 m2 | j1 j2 j m ih j1 j2 m′1 m′2 | j1 j2 j m i = δm1 m′1 δm2 m′2

j,m

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