3j-symbol

In physics and mathematics, Wigner 3-jm symbols, also called 3j symbols, are related to the Clebsch-Gordan coefficients of the groups SU(2) and SO(3) through

${\begin{pmatrix}j_{1}&j_{2}&j_{3}\\m_{1}&m_{2}&m_{3}\end{pmatrix}}\equiv {\frac {(-1)^{j_{1}-j_{2}-m_{3}}}{\sqrt {2j_{3}+1}}}\langle j_{1}m_{1}j_{2}m_{2}|j_{3}\,{-m_{3}}\rangle .$

The 3j symbols show more symmetry in permutation of the labels than the corresponding Clebsch-Gordan coefficients.

Inverse relation

The inverse relation can be found by noting that j₁ - j₂ - m₃ is an integral number and making the substitution $m_{3}\rightarrow -m_{3}$

$\langle j_{1}m_{1}j_{2}m_{2}|j_{3}m_{3}\rangle =(-1)^{j_{1}-j_{2}+m_{3}}{\sqrt {2j_{3}+1}}{\begin{pmatrix}j_{1}&j_{2}&j_{3}\\m_{1}&m_{2}&-m_{3}\end{pmatrix}}.$

Symmetry properties

The symmetry properties of 3j symbols are more convenient than those of Clebsch-Gordan coefficients. A 3j symbol is invariant under an even permutation of its columns:

${\begin{pmatrix}j_{1}&j_{2}&j_{3}\\m_{1}&m_{2}&m_{3}\end{pmatrix}}={\begin{pmatrix}j_{2}&j_{3}&j_{1}\\m_{2}&m_{3}&m_{1}\end{pmatrix}}={\begin{pmatrix}j_{3}&j_{1}&j_{2}\\m_{3}&m_{1}&m_{2}\end{pmatrix}}.$

An odd permutation of the columns gives a phase factor:

${\begin{pmatrix}j_{1}&j_{2}&j_{3}\\m_{1}&m_{2}&m_{3}\end{pmatrix}}=(-1)^{j_{1}+j_{2}+j_{3}}{\begin{pmatrix}j_{2}&j_{1}&j_{3}\\m_{2}&m_{1}&m_{3}\end{pmatrix}}=(-1)^{j_{1}+j_{2}+j_{3}}{\begin{pmatrix}j_{1}&j_{3}&j_{2}\\m_{1}&m_{3}&m_{2}\end{pmatrix}}.$

Changing the sign of the $m$ quantum numbers also gives a phase:

${\begin{pmatrix}j_{1}&j_{2}&j_{3}\\-m_{1}&-m_{2}&-m_{3}\end{pmatrix}}=(-1)^{j_{1}+j_{2}+j_{3}}{\begin{pmatrix}j_{1}&j_{2}&j_{3}\\m_{1}&m_{2}&m_{3}\end{pmatrix}}.$

Selection rules

The Wigner 3j is zero unless $m_{1}+m_{2}+m_{3}=0$, $j_{1}+j_{2}+j_{3}$ is integer, $|m_{i}|\leq j_{i}$ and $|j_{1}-j_{2}|\leq j_{3}\leq j_{1}+j_{2}$.

Scalar invariant

The contraction of the product of three rotational states with a 3j symbol,

$\sum _{m_{1}=-j_{1}}^{j_{1}}\sum _{m_{2}=-j_{2}}^{j_{2}}\sum _{m_{3}=-j_{3}}^{j_{3}}|j_{1}m_{1}\rangle |j_{2}m_{2}\rangle |j_{3}m_{3}\rangle {\begin{pmatrix}j_{1}&j_{2}&j_{3}\\m_{1}&m_{2}&m_{3}\end{pmatrix}},$

is invariant under rotations.

Orthogonality Relations

$(2j+1)\sum _{m_{1}m_{2}}{\begin{pmatrix}j_{1}&j_{2}&j\\m_{1}&m_{2}&m\end{pmatrix}}{\begin{pmatrix}j_{1}&j_{2}&j'\\m_{1}&m_{2}&m'\end{pmatrix}}=\delta _{jj'}\delta _{mm'}.$

$\sum _{jm}(2j+1){\begin{pmatrix}j_{1}&j_{2}&j\\m_{1}&m_{2}&m\end{pmatrix}}{\begin{pmatrix}j_{1}&j_{2}&j\\m_{1}'&m_{2}'&m\end{pmatrix}}=\delta _{m_{1}m_{1}'}\delta _{m_{2}m_{2}'}.$

References

• E. P. Wigner, On the Matrices Which Reduce the Kronecker Products of Representations of Simply Reducible Groups, unpublished (1940). Reprinted in: L. C. Biedenharn and H. van Dam, Quantum Theory of Angular Momentum, Academic Press, New York (1965).
• A. R. Edmonds, Angular Momentum in Quantum Mechanics, 2nd edition, Princeton University Press, Pinceton, 1960.
• D. M. Brink and G. R. Satchler, Angular Momentum, 3rd edition, Clarendon, Oxford, 1993.
• L. C. Biedenharn and J. D. Louck, Angular Momentum in Quantum Physics, volume 8 of Encyclopedia of Mathematics, Addison-Wesley, Reading, 1981.
• D. A. Varshalovich, A. N. Moskalev, V. K. Khersonskii, Quantum Theory of Angular Momentum, World Scientific Publishing Co., Singapore, 1988.