Unitary transformations with spin angular momentum operators

Useful formulae for replacing an exponentiated spin scalar product by a finite sum of powers of this product, are presented in the context of Coulomb interactions between magnetic ions and conduction electrons in metals.     

Dissipation of spin angular momentum in magnetic switching

Applying one ultrashort magnetic field pulse, we observe up to 10 precessional switches of the magnetization direction in single crystalline Fe films of 10 and 15 atomic layers. We find that the rate at which angular momentum is dissipated in uniform large angle spin precession increases with time and film thickness, surpassing the intrinsic ferromagnetic resonance spin lattice relaxation of Fe by nearly an order of magnitude.     

Post-Newtonian spin and angular momentum of bounded systems

We generalize the newtonian expressions for the orbital angular momentum of a two-body system, and for the spin of each body, by introducing corresponding definitions in the post-Newtonian approximation of fully conservative theories of gravity. Using this definition of the spin and assuming that the bodies rotate rigidly and that the equations of motion are Hamiltonian, we show that in fully conservative theories of gravity the spin of each body undergoes a relativistic precession about the direction of the orbital angular momentum, as a consequence of the local equations of motion for a perfect fluid.Visiting scientist to the Max-Planck-Institut für Physik und Astrophysik. On leave of absence from the Astronomy Department, University of Thessaloniki, Greece.     

Intrinsic spin and orbital angular momentum Hall effect

A generalized definition of intrinsic and extrinsic transport coefficients is introduced. We show that transport coefficients from the intrinsic origin are solely determined by local electronic structure, and thus the intrinsic spin Hall effect is not a transport phenomenon. The intrinsic spin Hall current is always accompanied by an equal but opposite intrinsic orbital angular momentum Hall current. We prove that the intrinsic spin Hall effect does not induce a spin accumulation at the edge of the sample or near the interface.     

Interplay of spin and orbital angular momentum in the proton

We derive the consequences of the Myhrer-Thomas explanation of the proton spin problem for the distribution of orbital angular momentum on the valence and sea quarks. After QCD evolution, these results are found to be in very good agreement with both recent lattice QCD calculations and the experimental constraints from Hermes and JLab.     

Orbital and spin photon angular momentum transfer in liquid crystals

All-optical angular control of the molecular alignment in liquid-crystal films is demonstrated using a laser beam having an elliptically shaped intensity profile. The material birefringence is unimportant, as proven by the fact that good alignment is obtained with unpolarized light. This raises the possibility of achieving optical angular control of transparent isotropic bodies. A general theoretical approach, based on light and matter angular momentum conservation, shows that the optical alignment is due to the internal compensation between the transfer of the orbital and the spin part of angular momentum of the incident photons to the material.     

Spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion in spin Hall effect of light

From the viewpoint of classical electrodynamics, we identify the role of spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion in spin Hall effect (SHE) of light. We introduce a distinct separation between spin and orbital angular momenta to clarify the spin–orbital interaction in conventional beam refraction. We demonstrate that the refractive index gradient can enhance or suppress the spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion, and thus can control the SHE of light. We suggest that the metamaterial whose refractive index can be tailored arbitrarily may become a good candidate for amplifying or eliminating the SHE of light, and by properly facilitating the spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion the SHE may be enhanced dramatically. The transverse spatial shifts governed by the spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion, provide us a clear physical picture to clarify the role of refractive index gradient in the SHE of light. These findings provide a pathway for modulating the SHE of light and can be extrapolated to other physical systems.     

Separation of spin angular momentum in space-variant linearly polarized beam

We show that the spin angular momentum (SAM) flux in a space-variant linearly polarized beam can be separated in the focal plane. Such a beam carries only orbital angular momentum (OAM) and develops a net SAM flux upon focusing. The radial splitting of the SAM flux density is mediated by the phase vortex (or OAM) and can be controlled by the topological charge of the phase vortex. Optical trapping experiments verify the separation of the SAM flux density. The proposed approach enriches the manipulation of the angular momentum of light fields and inspires more designs of focus engineering, which would benefit optical micromanipulation of microscopic particles.     

Acoustic radiation torque and the conservation of angular momentum (L)

This note concerns the evaluation of the static acoustic radiation torque exerted by an acoustic field on a scatterer immersed in a nonviscous fluid based on far-field scattering. The radiation torque is expressed as the integral of the time-averaged flux of angular momentum over a spherical surface far removed from the scattering object with its center at the centroid of the object. That result was given previously [G. Maidanik, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 30, 620-623 (1956)]. Another expression given recently [Z. W. Fan et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 124, 2727-2732 (2008)] is simplified to this formula. Comments are made on obtaining it directly from the general theorem of angular momentum conservation in the integral form.     

The role of the orbital angular momentum in the proton spin

The orbital angular momenta L^u and L^d of up- and down-quarks in the proton are estimated as functions of the energy scale as model independently as possible on the basis of Ji's angular-momentum sum rule. This analysis indicates that L ^u - L ^d is large and negative even at the low energy scale of nonperturbative QCD, in contrast to Thomas' similar analysis based on the refined cloudy bag model. We pursuit the origin of this apparent discrepancy and suggest that it may have a connection with the fundamental question of how to define quark orbital angular momenta in QCD.     

Nuclear spin selection rules in chemical reactions by angular momentum algebra

The detailed selection rules for reactive collisions reported by Quack using molecular symmetry group are derived by using angular momentum algebra. Instead of the representations of the permutation-inversion group for both nuclear spin and rovibronic coordinate wavefunctions, those of the rotation group for nuclear spin wavefunction only are used. The method allows more straightforward derivation of Quack’s results and further extension of the calculation for separating elementary reactions and application to higher proton systems.     

An angular momentum expansion of energy and structure of high spin states

A new angular momentum expansion of level energies of ground-state band of even-even nuclei has been obtained which is found to converge rapidly even for the most back-bending nuclei. Attempts have been made to interpret the parameters and calculate them microscopically. It is found that nuclear structure in the forward bending region is quite different compared to that in the back-bending region.     

Deterministic qubit transfer between orbital and spin angular momentum of single photons

In this work we experimentally implement a deterministic transfer of a generic qubit initially encoded in the orbital angular momentum of a single-photon to its polarization. Such a transfer of quantum information, which is completely reversible, has been implemented adopting an electrically tunable q-plate device and a Sagnac interferometer with a Dove prism. The adopted scheme exhibits high fidelity and low losses.     

Evidence for large angular momentum window associated with incomplete fusion reactions

Mean values and variances of the angular momentum window of incomplete fusion reactions induced by¹⁶O on^116–124Sn targets at 90, 100 and 125 MeV have been measured. Theγ multiplicity technique has been used to extract these quantities for each reaction channel identified by discreteγ lines. Incomplete fusion seems to appear in about the same angular momentum window than complete fusion. This is confirmed by the observation of α 2p4n and 2α4n channels appearing at low angular momentum in the 125 MeV reaction.     

电子自旋不是轨道角动量的相对论效应

根据氢原子的相对论性环电流密度jψ的表示式，指出由该jψ给出的氢原子磁矩公式必然涉及电子自旋磁矩，电子自旋不是轨道角动量的相对论效应。     

On a RPA method with angular momentum projection

In view of projecting the angular momentum eigenstates out of the intrinsic RPA states, we first study linear relations between deformed and spherical phonons. By use of these relations, the deformed RPA Hamiltonian can be expressed in terms of the spherical phonons in the form of a displaced harmonic oscillator. The angular momentum projection can be applied to an intrinsic RPA state determined by the reduced Hamiltonian, and the correspondence with the macroscopic deformed phonon model of Lipaset al. can be done at this stage. Two important parameters, the constant term in the linear relations and the strength of the spherical phonon Hamiltonian, are evaluated and compared with the best-fit values obtained by Lipaset al.     

Electrically controlled transfer of spin angular momentum of light in an optically active medium

Spin is an intrinsic property of the photon. A method for using an externally applied dc electric field to manipulate the transfer of spin angular momentum of light in an optically active medium is presented. To discuss this, we first develop a wave coupling theory of the mutual action of natural optical activity and the linear electro-optic effect. Besides being used for analyzing the electrically controlled transfer of spin angular momentum of light, the theory can also be used to describe the propagation of light traveling along an arbitrary direction in any optically active medium with an external dc electric field along an arbitrary direction.     

Mechanical equivalence of spin and orbital angular momentum of light: an optical spanner

We use a Laguerre-Gaussian laser mode within an optical tweezers arrangement to demonstrate the transfer of the orbital angular momentum of a laser mode to a trapped particle. The particle is optically confined in three dimensions and can be made to rotate; thus the apparatus is an optical spanner. We show that the spin angular momentum of +/-?per photon associated with circularly polarized light can add to, or subtract from, the orbital angular momentum to give a total angular momentum. The observed cancellation of the spin and orbital angular momentum shows that, as predicted, a Laguerre-Gaussian mode with an azimuthal mode index l=1 has a well-defined orbital angular momentum corresponding to ? per photon.     

Interferometric methods to measure orbital and spin, or the total angular momentum of a single photon

We propose interferometric methods capable of measuring either the total angular momentum, or simultaneously measuring the spin and orbital angular momentum of single photons. This development enables the measurement of any angular momentum eigenstate of a single photon. The work allows the investigation of single-photon two-qubit entangled states and has implications for high density information transfer.