Addition Theorem and Matrix Elements of Radiative Multipole Operators

Abstract

The addition theorem for radiative multipole operators, i.e., electric-dipole, electric-quadropole or magnetic-dipole, etc., is derived through a translational transformation. The addition theorem of the μth component of the angular momentum operator, L _μ (r), is also derived as a simple expression that represents a general translation of the angular momentum operator along an arbitrary orientation of a displacement vector and when this displacement is along the Z-axis. The addition theorem of the multipole operators is then used to analytically evaluate the matrix elements of the electric and magnetic multipole operators over the basis functions, the spherical Laguerre Gaussian-type function (LGTF), $L_n^{l + (1/2)} (\alpha r^2) r^l Y_{lm} ({\rm \hat {\bf r}}) {\rm e}^{- \alpha r^2}$. The explicit and simple formulas obtained for the matrix elements of these operators are in terms of vector-coupling coefficients and LGTFs of the internuclear coordinates. The matrix element of the magnetic multipole operator is shown to be a linear combination of the matrix element of the electric multipole operator.