Wigner's theorem

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Wigner's Theorem states that any symmetry operation must be induced by a unitary or anti-unitary transformation.

More precisely it states that a surjective map T:H\rightarrow H on a complex Hilbert space H which satisfies:

|\langle Tx,Ty\rangle|=|\langle x,y\rangle|

for all x,y \in H, has the form Tx = φ(x)Ux for all x\in H where \phi:H\rightarrow \mathbb{C} is unimodular and U:H\rightarrow H is either unitary or antiunitary.

[edit] References

  • Bargmann, V. "Note on Wigner's Theorem on Symmetry Operations". Journal of Mathematical Physics Vol 5, no. 7, Jul 1964.
  • Molnar, Lajos. "An Algebraic Approach to Wigner's Unitary-Antiunitary Theorem". http://arxiv.org/abs/math/9808033