Inclusion of spin in wave function

Including spin in the wave function is crucial in systems where particles possess intrinsic angular momentum, such as electrons, protons, and neutrons. Spin is a fundamental property of particles, and it's a quantum mechanical concept that's often represented mathematically in wave functions.

In the context of quantum mechanics, a particle's wave function describes its state, including its spatial distribution and other intrinsic properties like spin. When spin is included in the wave function, the resulting wave function becomes a spinor, which is a mathematical object that describes the particle's state including its spin orientation.

For example, in the case of electrons, the wave function must include spin because electrons are fermions and obey the Pauli exclusion principle, which states that no two electrons can occupy the same quantum state simultaneously. Since the spin is one of the quantum numbers that characterize an electron's state, it must be included in the wave function to fully describe the electron's behaviour.

Mathematically, the inclusion of spin in the wave function often involves the use of spinors or spin matrices, depending on the spin of the particle. For spin-1/2 particles like electrons, the wave function is typically represented as a two-component spinor. These spinors contain information not only about the spatial distribution of the particle but also about its spin state.

In the context of magnetic resonance, such as in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) or electron spin resonance (ESR), the inclusion of spin in the wave function is crucial for understanding and predicting the behaviour of particles in magnetic fields. Spin plays a central role in determining the energy levels, transitions, and magnetic properties of particles, and incorporating spin into the wave function allows for accurate descriptions of these phenomena.

Let H be the Hamiltonian operator which doesn't include spin.

H𝜓i = Ei𝜓i

𝜓i is the wavefunction which doesn't contain the information of the spin of the particle.

Let l 𝜒 > = (C+ C_) describe the spin state of the particle

Then total wavefunction which contain both information of the space motion of information of spin is given by

If the particle is free then wavefunction

If the particle is in spinning state

For a free particle

If F is the Schrodinger operator then corresponding Pauli operator

In general H is the Hamiltonian operator (Schrodinger operator) then corresponding Pauli operator

For free particle

Hp and Sz commute with each other. They have common eigen value 𝜙+ and 𝜙_

It can be shown that

This equation describes the eigenvalue equation for the z-component of spin angular momentum.

Incorporating spin into the wave function allows us to describe additional quantum properties and phenomena, particularly in systems with particles possessing intrinsic angular momentum, such as electrons in atoms.

This note is a part of the Physics Repository.