This book offers a concise introduction to the angular momentum, one of the most fundamental quantities in all of quantum mechanics. Beginning with the quantization of angular momentum, spin angular momentum, and the orbital angular momentum, the author goes on to discuss the Clebsch-Gordan coefficients for a two-component system. After developing the necessary mathematics, specifically spherical tensors and tensor operators, the author then investigates the 3-j, 6-j, and 9-j symbols. Throughout, the author provides practical applications to atomic, molecular, and nuclear physics. These include partial-wave expansions, the emission and absorption of particles, the proton and electron quadrupole moment, matrix element calculation in practice, and the properties of the symmetrical top molecule.

Ch. 1. Elements of vector and tensor theory -- ch. 2. Angular momentum operators -- ch. 3. Irreducible tensors -- ch. 4. Wigner D-functions -- ch. 5. Spherical harmonics -- ch. 6. Spin functions -- ch. 7. Tensor spherical harmonics -- ch. 8. Clebsch-Gordan coefficients and 3jm symbols -- ch. 9. 6j symbols and the Racah coefficients -- ch. 10. 9j and 12j symbols -- ch. 11. The graphical method in angular momentum theory -- ch. 12. Sums involving vector addition and recoupling coefficients -- ch. 13. matrix elements of irreducible tensor operators

This 1985 text develops the theory of angular momentum from the viewpoint of a fundamental symmetry in nature and shows how this concept relates to applied areas of research in modern quantum physics.

A course in angular momentum techniques is essential for quantitative study of problems in atomic physics, molecular physics, nuclear physics and solid state physics. This book has grown out of such a course given to the students of the M. Sc. and M. Phil. degree courses at the University of Madras. An elementary knowledge of quantum mechanics is an essential pre-requisite to undertake this course but no knowledge of group theory is assumed on the part of the readers. Although the subject matter has group-theoretic origin, special efforts have been made to avoid the gro- theoretical language but place emphasis on the algebraic formalism dev- oped by Racah (1942a, 1942b, 1943, 1951). How far I am successful in this project is left to the discerning reader to judge. After the publication of the two classic books, one by Rose and the other by Edmonds on this subject in the year 1957, the application of angular momentum techniques to solve physical problems has become so common that it is found desirable to organize a separate course on this subject to the students of physics. It is to cater to the needs of such students and research workers that this book is written. A large number of questions and problems given at the end of each chapter will enable the reader to have a clearer understanding of the subject.

Application of quantum mechanics in physics and chemistry often entails manipulation and evaluation of sums and products of coupling coefficients for the theory of angular momentum. Challenges encountered in such work can be tamed by graphical techniques that provide both the insight and analytical power. The book is the first step-by-step exposition of a graphical method grounded in established work. Copious exercises recover standard results but demonstrate the power to go beyond.

Although ideas from quantum physics play an important role in many parts of modern mathematics, there are few books about quantum mechanics aimed at mathematicians. This book introduces the main ideas of quantum mechanics in language familiar to mathematicians. Readers with little prior exposure to physics will enjoy the book's conversational tone as they delve into such topics as the Hilbert space approach to quantum theory; the Schrödinger equation in one space dimension; the Spectral Theorem for bounded and unbounded self-adjoint operators; the Stone–von Neumann Theorem; the Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin approximation; the role of Lie groups and Lie algebras in quantum mechanics; and the path-integral approach to quantum mechanics. The numerous exercises at the end of each chapter make the book suitable for both graduate courses and independent study. Most of the text is accessible to graduate students in mathematics who have had a first course in real analysis, covering the basics of L2 spaces and Hilbert spaces. The final chapters introduce readers who are familiar with the theory of manifolds to more advanced topics, including geometric quantization.

The first comprehensive and authoritative coverage of the angular momentum of light, illustrating both its theoretical and applied aspects.