Kramers degeneracy without eigenvectors

Bryan W. Roberts
Phys. Rev. A 86, 034103 – Published 26 September 2012

Abstract

Wigner gave a well-known proof of Kramers degeneracy for time reversal invariant systems containing an odd number of half-integer spin particles. But Wigner's proof relies on the assumption that the Hamiltonian has an eigenvector, and thus does not apply to many quantum systems of physical interest. This Brief Report illustrates an algebraic way to talk about Kramers degeneracy that does not appeal to eigenvectors and provides a derivation of Kramers degeneracy in this more general context.

  • Received 23 August 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.86.034103

©2012 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Bryan W. Roberts*

  • School of Philosophy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-0451, USA

  • *bryan.roberts@usc.edu; http://www.usc.edu/bryanroberts

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Issue

Vol. 86, Iss. 3 — September 2012

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