Irreducible Tensor Methods

Book excerpt: Irreducible Tensor Methods: An Introduction for Chemists explains the theory and application of irreducible tensor operators. The book discusses a compact formalism to describe the effect that results on an arbitrary function of a given set of coordinates when that set is subjected to a rotation about its origin. The text also explains the concept of irreducible tensor operators, particularly, as regards the transformation properties of operators under coordinate transformations, and, in a special way, the group of rotations. The book examines the systematic construction of compound tensor operators from simple operators to classify the behavior of any operator under coordinate rotations. This classification is a significant component of the irreducible tensor method. The text explains the use of the 6-j and 9-j symbols to complete theoretical concepts that are applied in irreducible tensor methods dealing with problems of atomic and molecular physics. The book describes the matrix elements in multielectron systems, as well as the reduced matrix elements found in these systems. The book is suitable for nuclear physicists, molecular physicists, scientists, and academicians in the field of quantum mechanics or advanced chemistry.