Representation Theory and Wigner-Racah Algebra of the SU(2) Group in a Noncanonical Basis

Abstract

The Lie algebra su(2) of the classical group SU(2) is built from two commuting quon algebras for which the deformation parameter is a common root of unity. This construction leads to (i) a not very well-known polar decomposition of the generators J- and J+ of the SU(2) group, with J+ = J-† = HUr where H is Hermitean and Ur unitary, and (ii) an alternative to the {J2,Jz} quantization scheme, viz., the {J2,Ur} quantization scheme. The representation theory of the SU(2) group can be developed in this nonstandard scheme. The key ideas for developing the Wigner-Racah algebra of the SU(2) group in the {J2,Ur} scheme are given. In particular, some properties of the coupling and recoupling coefficients as well as the Wigner-Eckart theorem in the {J2,Ur} scheme are examined in great detail.