Symmetry-adapted decomposition of tensor operators and the visualization of coupled spin systems

Abstract: We study the representation and visualization of finite-dimensional quantum systems. In a generalized Wigner representation, multi-spin operators can be decomposed into a symmetry-adapted tensor basis and they are mapped to multiple spherical plots that are each assembled from linear combinations of spherical harmonics. We apply two different approaches based on explicit projection operators and coefficients of fractional parentage in order to obtain this basis for up to six spins 1/2 (qubits), for which various examples are presented. An extension to two coupled spins with arbitrary spin numbers (qudits) is provided, also highlighting a quantum system of a spin 1/2 coupled to a spin 1 (qutrit).