Solution of the Dirac equation predicts that when an electron with non-zero orbital angular momentum propagates in a cylindrically symmetric potential, its spin and orbital degrees of freedom interact, causing the electron's phase velocity to depend on whether its spin and orbital angular momenta vectors are oriented parallel or anti-parallel with respect to each other. This spin-orbit splitting of the electronic dispersion curves can result in a rotation of the electron's spatial state in a manner controlled by the electron's own spin z-component value. These effects persist at non-relativistic velocities. To clarify the physical origin of this effect, we compare solutions of the Dirac equation to perturbative predictions of the Schrodinger-Pauli equation with a spin-orbit term, using the standard Foldy-Wouthuysen Hamiltonian. This clearly shows that the origin of the effect is the familiar relativistic spin-orbit interaction.
In this article we discuss the Dirac equation in the presence of an attractive cylindrical δ-shell potential V(ρ)=-aδ(ρ-ρ_0), where ρis the radial coordinate and a>0. We present a detailed discussion on the boundary conditions the wave function has to satisfy when crossing the support of the potential, proceeding then to explore the dependence of the ground state on the parameter a, analyzing the occurrence of supercritical effects. We also apply the Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation, discussing the non-relativistic limit of this problem.
A Quantum Walk (QW) simulating the flat $(1 + 2)$D Dirac Eq.\ on a spatial polar grid is constructed. Because fermions are represented by spinors, which do not constitute a representation of the rotation group, but rather of its double cover, the QW can only be defined globally on an extended spacetime where the polar angle extends from $0$ to $4 π$. The coupling of the QW with arbitrary electromagnetic fields is also presented. Finally, the cylindrical relativistic Landau levels of the Dirac Eq.\ are computed explicitly and simulated by the QW.
In this Letter the bound states of (2+1) Dirac equation with the cylindrically symmetric $δ(r-r_{0})$-potential are discussed. It is surprisingly found that the relation between the radial functions at two sides of $r_{0}$ can be established by an SO(2) transformation. We obtain a transcendental equation for calculating the energy of the bound state from the matching condition in the configuration space. The condition for existence of bound states is determined by the Sturm-Liouville theorem.
The Dirac equation is invariant under rotations with a constant frequency and invariable cylindrical radius. 3D transformation for rotating frames is found with help of this invariance. Exact localized solutions of the Dirac equation in the field of a traveling circularly polarized electromagnetic wave and constant magnetic field exist and possess unusual properties. Temporal changes of spin pertaining to the solutions are studied.
We demonstrate that neutral Dirac particles in external electric fields, which are equivalent to generalized Dirac oscillators, are physical examples of quasi-exactly solvable systems. Electric field configurations permitting quasi-exact solvability of the system based on the $sl(2)$ symmetry are discussed separately in spherical, cylindrical, and Cartesian coordinates. Some exactly solvable field configurations are also exhibited.
The Dirac monopole problem is studied in details within the framework of infinite-dimensional representations of the rotation group, and a consistent pointlike monopole theory with an arbitrary magnetic charge is deduced.
A mathematical formulation for particle states and electronic properties of a curved graphene sheet is provided, exploiting a massless Dirac spectrum description for charge carriers living in a curved bidimensional background. In particular, we study how the new description affects the characteristics of the sample, writing an appropriate conductivity Kubo formula for the modified background. Finally, we provide a theoretical analysis for the particular case of a cylindrical graphene sample.
We consider a quantum dot described by a cylindrically symmetric 2D Dirac equation. The potentials representing the quantum dot are taken to be of different types of potential configuration, scalar, vector and pseudo-scalar to enable us to enrich our study. Using various potential configurations, we found that in the presence of a mass term an electrostatically confined quantum dot can accommodate true bound states, which is in agreement with previous work. The differential cross section associated with one specific potential configuration has been computed and discussed as function of the var…
It was argued by Mashhoon that a spin-rotation coupling term should add to the Hamiltonian operator in a rotating frame, as compared with the one in an inertial frame. For a Dirac particle, the Hamiltonian and energy operators H and E were recently proved to depend on the tetrad field. We argue that this non-uniqueness of H and E really is a physical problem. We compute the energy operator in the inertial and the rotating frame, using three tetrad fields: one for each of two frameworks proposed to select the tetrad field so as to solve this non-uniqueness problem, and one proposed by Ryder. We…
By considering a spacetime with a spiral dislocation, we analyse the behaviour of the Dirac field subject to a hard-wall confining potential. In search of relativistic bound states solutions, we discuss the influence of the topology of the spiral dislocation spacetime on the energy levels. Further, we analyse the effects of rotation on the Dirac field in the spiral dislocation spacetime. We show that both rotation and the topology of the spacetime impose a restriction on the values of the radial coordinate. Thus, we analyse the effects of rotation and the topology of the spiral dislocation spa…
We calculate the interaction energy and force between atoms and molecules and single-walled carbon nanotubes described by the Dirac model of graphene. For this purpose the Lifshitz-type formulas adapted for the case of cylindrical geometry with the help of the proximity force approximation are used. The results obtained are compared with those derived from the hydrodymanic model of graphene. Numerical computations are performed for hydrogen atoms and molecules. It is shown that the Dirac model leads to larger values of the van der Waals force than the hydrodynamic model. For a hydrogen molecul…
Within the context of infinite-dimensional representations of the rotation group the Dirac monopole problem is studied in details. Irreducible infinite-dimensional representations, being realized in the indefinite metric Hilbert space, are given by linear unbounded operators in infinite-dimensional topological spaces, supplied with a weak topology and associated weak convergence. We argue that an arbitrary magnetic charge is allowed, and the Dirac quantization condition can be replaced by a generalized quantization rule yielding a new quantum number, the so-called topological spin, which is re…
The intertwining technique has been widely used to study the Schrödinger equation and to generate new Hamiltonians with known spectra. This technique can be adapted to find the bound states of certain Dirac Hamiltonians. In this paper the system to be solved is a relativistic particle placed in a magnetic field with cylindrical symmetry whose intensity decreases as the distance to the symmetry axis grows and its field lines are parallel to the $x-y$ plane. It will be shown that the Hamiltonian under study turns out to be shape invariant.
The interplay of photon spin and orbital angular momentum (OAM) in the optical fiber (1D waveguide) has recently risen to the forefront of quantum nanophotonics. Here, we introduce the fermionic dual of the optical fiber, the Dirac wire, which exhibits unique electronic spin and OAM properties arising from confined solutions of the Dirac equation. The Dirac wires analyzed here represent cylindrical generalizations of the Jackiw-Rebbi domain wall and the minimal topological insulator, which are of significant interest in spintronics. We show the unique longitudinal spin arising from electrons c…
Densities of persistent orbital and spin magnetic moment currents of an electron in a cylindrical nanolayer in the presence of external axial magnetic field are considered. For the mentioned current densities analytical expressions are obtained. The conditions when in the system only spin magnetic moment current is present are defined. Dependencies of orbital and spin magnetic moment currents on geometrical parameters of nanolayer are derived. It is shown that in the case of layered geometry the dependence of spin magnetic moment current on radial coordinate has a non-monotonic behavior. This …
The Casimir effect is investigated in cylindrical and toroidal carbon nanotubes within the framework of the Dirac-like model for the electronic states. The topological Casimir energy is positive for metallic cylindrical nanotubes and is negative for semiconducting ones. The toroidal compactification of a cylindrical nanotube along its axis increases the Casimir energy for metallic-type (periodic) boundary conditions along its axis and decreases the Casimir energy for the semiconducting-type compactifications. For finite length metallic nanotubes the Casimir forces acting on the tube edges are …
In this article we study two-dimensional Dirac Hamiltonians with non-commutativity both in coordinates and momenta from an algebraic perspective. In order to do so, we consider the graded Lie algebra $\mathfrak{sl}(2|1)$ generated by Hermitian bilinear forms in the non-commutative dynamical variables and the Dirac matrices in $2+1$ dimensions. By further defining a total angular momentum operator, we are able to express a class of Dirac Hamiltonians completely in terms of these operators. In this way, we analyze the energy spectrum of some simple models by constructing and studying the represe…
This paper reviews how a two-state, spin-one-half system transforms under rotations. It then uses that knowledge to explain how momentum-zero, spin-one-half annihilation and creation operators transform under rotations. The paper then explains how a spin-one-half field transforms under rotations. The momentum-zero spinors are found from the way spin-one-half systems transform under rotations and from the Dirac equation. Once the momentum-zero spinors are known, the Dirac equation immediately yields the spinors at finite momentum. The paper then shows that with these spinors, a Dirac field tran…
Recently (Phys. Lett. A302 (2002) 253, hep-th/0208210; hep-th/0403146) employing bounded infinite-dimensional representations of the rotation group we have argued that one can obtain the consistent monopole theory with generalized Dirac quantization condition, $2κμ\in \mathbb Z$, where $κ$ is the weight of the Dirac string. Here we extend this proof to the unbounded infinite-dimensional representations.
