Author: Jerphagnon J. Chemla D. Bonneville R.
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
ISSN: 1460-6976
Source: Advances In Physics, Vol.27, Iss.4, 1978-07, pp. : 609-650
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Abstract
A general framework for the description of the physical properties of condensed matter by irreducible tensors is presented. Irreducible tensors have been widely used in atomic and molecular physics but, surprisingly, less so in solid-state physics. In elasticity studies the strain and stress tensors are commonly decomposed into scalar (spherical) and deviatoric parts and more recently irreducible tensors have been introduced into discussion of non-linear optics and optical activity, but the approach is powerful and applicable to the analysis of the physical properties of condensed matter in general. The article aims to demonstrate this and to identify the kinds of argument about the properties of solids that can be best formulated in this way. The decomposition of a cartesian tensor into irreducible parts is considered for polar and axial tensors of rank n and the decompositions are given explicitly up to n = 4. Transformations of irreducible cartesian tensors into their spherical forms, and vice versa, are examined and the norm or magnitude is defined for reducible and irreducible tensors and applications are presented. Tensor index permutations are discussed with respect to their bearing on the decomposition of a tensor into irreducible points.
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