HEISENBERG GROUP

In this lecture we introduce the Heisenberg algebra (over the real and complex numbers)
F
and the simply connected and reduced Heisenberg groups. We largely follow Folland [F].
1. Real Heisenberg Lie Algebra
A symplectic vector space can be built from a real vector space V by V V with ((x
f, x0 f 0 ) = f (x0 ) f 0 (x).
Notation of Takhtajan: p. 82.
Definition: The Hesienberg algebra hn is a Lie algebra with generators e1 , . . . , en , f1 , . . . fn , c
and relations
[ek , f` ] = c`k , [ek , c] = [f` , c] = 0.
There is an exact sequence
0 R gn V 0
and
[x, y] = (
x, y)c.
A choice of symplectic basis gives the generators and relations above. In coordinates
[(p, q, t), (p0 , q 0 , t0 )] = (0, 0, (pq 0 qp0 )).
1.1. Finite matrix representation of the Heisenberg algebra. Folland (p. 18): Let

0 p~
t

0 ~0 q1

0 ~0 q2

.
m(p, q, t) =

0 ~0 qn

0 ~0 0
Then
m(p, q, t)m(p, q, t0 ) = m(0, 0, hp, q 0 i)
and
[m(p, q, t), m(p, q, t0 )] = m(0, 0, hp, q 0 i hp0 , qi).
Note that the center is m(0, 0, t) so c is the matrix with a 1 in the upper right corner entry.
1

HEISENBERG GROUP

2. Heisenberg group
There is a unique simply connected group with this Lie algbra: The Heisenberg group is
R R with group law
1
(x, , t) (x0 , 0 , t0 ) = (x + x0 , + 0 , t + t0 + ((x, ), (x0 , 0 )))
2
0 0
0
0
with ((x, ), (x , ))) = h, x i h , xi.
Then
2n

(x0 , 0 , t0 ) (x, , t) = (x + x0 , + 0 , t + t0 21 ((x, ), (x0 , 0 )))

= (0, 0, ((x, ), (x0 , 0 )))((x, , t) (x0 , 0 , t0 ).
In complex notation, we have
(z, t) (z 0 , t0 ) = (z + z 0 , t + t0 + =(z z0 ).
Note that the only difference if we interchange the order of multiplication is the sign of =z z0 .
2.1. Finite matrix representation. Let

p~

0 1 ~0 q1

0 0 1 ~0 q2

.
M (p, q, t) = I + m(p, q, t) =

0 0
~0 1 qn

0 ~0 1
Then
M (p, q, t)M (p0 , q 0 , t0 ) = M (p + p0 , q + q 0 , t + t0 + hp, qi).
One has
0

0 0

em(p,q,t) em(p ,q ,t ) = em(p+p ,q+q ,t+t + 2 (pq p q)) .

This follows because
1
1
em(p,q,t) = I + m(p, q, t) + m(0, 0, pq) = M (p, q, t + pq).
2
2
We thus have,
exp : hn Hn ,
log : Hn hn ,
with a group law by X em(X) so that (q, p, t) em(p,q,t) .

2n+1

and we use it to endow R

Lemma 1. The induced group law on Hn is

1
(p, q, t)(p0 , q 0 , t0 ) = (p + p0 , q + q 0 , t + t0 + (pq 0 qp0 )).
2

HEISENBERG GROUP

Proof: By definition,
0 0

(p, q, t)(p0 , q 0 , t0 ) = log em(p,q,t) em(p , q,t ) = log M (p, q, t + 12 pq)M (p0 , q, t0 + 21 p0 q 0 )
= log M (p + p0 , q + q 0 , t + 12 pq + 12 p0 q 0 + pq 0 )).
We need (, x, s) so that
1
1
1
exp m(, x, s) = M (, x, s + x) = M (p + p0 , q + q 0 , t + pq + p0 q 0 + pq 0 )).
2
2
2
Obviously, = p + p0 , x = q + q 0 and
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
s+ (p+p0 )(q+q 0 ) = pq+ p0 q 0 +pq 0 )) = s = pq+ p0 q 0 +pq 0 )) (p+p0 )(q+q 0 ) = (pq 0 qp0 )).
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
What is the identity element of Hn ?
(p, q, t):

It is (0, 0, 0).

Also, the inverse of (p, q, t) is

1
(p, q, t)(p, q, t) = (0, 0, 0 + (p(q) q(p))).
2
Also the center is
Z = {(0, 0, t) : t R}.
is Cn S 1 with
2.2. Reduced Heisenberg group. The reduced Heisenberg group Hred
n
group law:
0

(x, , eit ) (x0 , 0 , eit )

0

= (x + x0 , + 0 , ei(t+t + 2 ((x,),(x , )) ).
That is
Hnred = Hn /{0, 0, k) : k Z}.
dinger representation
3. Schro
The Schrodinger representation is a unitary representation of Hn on L2 (Rn , dx). Its
derived representation, the infinitesimal Schrodinger representation d, is a Lie algebra representation of hn by skew-Hermitian operators on L2 (Rn , dx).
Notation:
xj as an operator is multiplication by xj . We write X = (x1 , . . . , xn ) and
P
qX = j qj xj . These are all understood to be multiplication operators,
qXf (x) = hq, xif (x).
Let Pj =

h
.
2i xj

Also let Dj =

1
.
2i xj

Then

pP =

h X

pj
.
2i j
xj

HEISENBERG GROUP

3.1. Infinitesimal Schr

odinger representation. See Folland (1.8). The infinitesimal
Schrodinger representation is the homorphism
dh (p, q, t) = 2i(hpD + xX + tI).
Lemma 2. dh is a homomorphism from hn to the skew Hermitian operators on S(Rn ).
Proof: we must check that
[dh (p, q, t), dh (p0 , q 0 , t0 )] = dh (0, 0, pq 0 qp0 )
which is equivalent to checking that
[2i(hpD + qX + tI), 2i(hp0 D + q 0 X + t0 I) = 2i(pq 0 qp0 ).
The left side is
[2ihpD, q 0 X] + [qX, 2ihp0 D] = h[p

, q 0 X] + h[qX, p0
] = h(pq 0 qp0 ).
xj
xj

3.2. Schr
odinger representation. Notation
d
Takhtajan (page 89) writes P = ~i dx
and Qf (x) = xf (x). Then [P, Q] = iI.
von Neumann:
h
h d
[P, Q] =
I,
P =
.
2i
2i dx

The Schrodinger representation h is defined by:

(Folland)
h (p, q, t) = exp 2i(pD + qX + tI).
Von Neumann:
2i
2i
V () = e ~ Q .
U () = e ~ P ,
vN
Definition: Schrodinger representation ([?], footnote)
U ()f (q) = f (q + ),
i

V ()f (q) = e

2i
~

f (q).

S(, ) = e 2 h,i U ()V () = e 2 h,i V ()U ().

Lemma 3. Then
eiqX f (x) = eihq,xi f (x),

e2ipP f (x) = f (x + ~p).

The first statement is obvous. The second follows because

P

pj Dj ihx,i

= ehp,j i eihx,i = eih(x+p),i .

Let us show that the definitions in Folland and von Neumann are consistent:
Lemma 4. We have
h (, , 0) = exp 2i(D + X) = S(, ).

HEISENBERG GROUP

For the exponential map from a Lie algebra to the Lie group, we have:
1

eA eB = eA+B+ 2 [A,B]+ ,
where denote higher order commutators. Since the Heisenberg Lie algebra is 2-step
nilpotent, we have exactly:
1

eA eB = eA+B+ 2 [A,B] .
Since [A, B] lies in the center, we also get
1

eA+B = eA eB e 2 [A,B] = eB eA e 2 [B,A] .

Lemma 5.
h (p, q, t)f (x) = e2it eipq e2iqx f (x + p)
Proof. We may set t = 0 with no loss of generality. With a different definition of t we
consider
g(t, x) = e2it(pD+qX) f (x).
By definition it solves
d
g(t, x) = (2i)(pD + qX)g(t, x),
dt

g(0, x) = f (x).

That is,
n

g X

g(t, x) = 2ihq, ~xig(t, x).

pj
t
x
j
j=1
Let ~x(t) = x t~p, x = x(t) + t~p. Then the left side is

g(t, x t~p).
t
We rewrite the equation as

g(t, x t~p) = 2ihq, ~x t~pig(t, x t~p).

t
We then integrate to get
d
dt

log g(t, x tp) = 2ihq, xi 2ithq, pi = log g(t, x tp) = log g(0, x) + t2ihq, xi iqpt2
2 hp,qi

= g(t, x tp) = f (x)e2ithq,xi eit

2 hq,pi

= g(t, y) = e2ithq,yi e2it

2 hp,qi

eit

f (y + tp),

with y = x tp. We then set t = 1 to conclude the proof.


Lemma 6. h is a representation. That is, h (p, q)h (r, s) = h (p + r, q + s, 21 (ps qr)).
e2i(pD+qX) e2i(rD+sX) = ei(psqr) e2i[(p+r)D+(q+s)X) .

HEISENBERG GROUP

Proof.
h (p, q)h (r, s)f (x) = eipq e2ixq (h (r, s)f )(x + p)
= eipq e2ixq eirs e2ihs,x+pi f (x + p + r).
On the other hand,
1

h (p + r, q + s, 21 (ps qr))f (x) = e2i 2 (psqr)) ei(hp+r,q+si e2ihq+s,xi f (x + p + r).

They are equal since
1

eipq eirs e2ihs,pi = e2i 2 (psqr)) ei(hp+r,q+si .


Another version: If we conjugate by the Fourier transform, we get
0 (p, q, t) = F(p, q, t)F 1 = (q, p, t)
which acts by
0 (p, q, t) = e2it e2ihpXqDi .
Thus,
0 (p, q, t)f (x) = eipq e2ihp,xi f (x q).
3.3. Weyl commutation relations.
Lemma 7.
U (q)V (p) = eiqp V (p)U (q).
Proof. Let us check directly:
U (q)V (p)f (x) = (V (p)f )(x q) = eihp,xqi f (x q).
On the other hand,
V (p)U (q)f (x) = eihp,xi (U (q)f )(x) = eipx f (x q).

Note that
U (q) = 0 (0, q, 0) = (q, 0, 0),

V (p) = 0 (p, 0, 0) = (0, p, 0).

4. Fock space representation

In dimension 3, the Heisenberg is the Lie algebra generated by the position operator Q=
d
multiplication by x, the momentum operator P = D = 1i dx
and 1 with only one non-trivial
commutation relation:
[Q, P ] = i.
It is convenient to complexify the algebra and choose the generators
1
1
a = (Q + iP ), a = (Q iP )
2
2

HEISENBERG GROUP

which are known as the annihilation and creation operators. As differential operators, a =
1 (x + d ), a = 1 (x d ). They satisfy:
dx
dx
2
2
1
[a, a ] = [i[Q, P ] + i[P, Q]] = 1.
2
We include ~ in the definition of quantization by putting P = ~D =
commutation relations become

~ d
.
i dx

Then the

[Q, P ] = i~, [a, a ] = ~.

Let

1
1

aj = (xj
), aj = (xj +
).
xj
xj
2
2
Also define the number operator by
X
N=
aj aj .
j

In the Bargmann representation,

aj zj , aj

.
zj

The Number operator is

N=

zj

.
zj

The unique vacuum state is the constant function 1. The other eigenfunctions are the
monomials z n , and the eigenvalue is the degree.
Definition: Let (L, ) be a symplectic vector space. A Weyl system over (L, ) is a pair
(K, W ) where K is a complex Hilbert space and W : L U (K) such that
1

W (z)W (z 0 ) = e 2 i(z,z ) W (z + z 0 ).
As an example, a complex Hilbert space defines (L, ) where L is the underlying real
vector space and (z, z 0 ) = =(z, z 0 ).
Let F be the space of entire holomorphic functions f on C with inner product
Z
1
2
|f (z)|2 e|z| dL(z).
C
An orthonormal basis is
zn
en (z) = .
n!
The evaluation functional is
f (a) = hf, Ea i,
i.e.
Ea (z) =
Define

Ea (z) = eza ,

X
X zna
zn
n
hEa , en i =
.
n!
n!
n=0
n0
2

WF (z)f (w) = e|z| ewz f (w z).

HEISENBERG GROUP

Thus,
WF (z) : F F.
Also,
WF (z1 )WF (z2 ) = e=(z1 z2 WF (z1 + z2 ).
Note that
(z1 , z2 ) =z1 z2
is a symplectic inner product. If z1 = x1 + i1 , z2 = x2 + i2 then
=z1 z2 = =(x1 + i1 )(x2 i2 ) = x2 1 x1 2 .
Thus,
z WF (z)
is a unitary representation of the Weyl commutation relations. Unitarity: with v = w z,
R
2
||WF (z)f ||2F = 1 C |WF (z)f (w)|2 e|w| dL(w)
=

|e|z| ewz f (w z)|2 e|w| dL(w)

2

e2|z| ewz+zw |f (w z)|2 e|w| dL(w)

2

e2|z| e(v+z)z+z(v+z) |f (v)|2 e|v+z| dL(v)

R
2
= 1 C |f (v)|2 e|v| dL(v),
where in the last step we used that
2|z|2 + (v + z)
z + z(v + z) |v + z|2 = |v|2 .
Further,
2

WF E0 = e|z| Ea ,
so that WF is irreducible. Indeed, any irrep must contain a vacuum vector, which is E0 = 1.
But if f WF (a)E0 for all a then f 0. Alternatively, if P is an orthogonal projection
commuting with all WF (a) and f = P E0 then
2

f (z) = hP E0 , Ez i = e|z| hP E0 , WF (z)E0 i = hP Ez , E0 i = f (z) = f = C.

Bargmann-Fock transform: By the Stone-von Neumann theorem, there must exist a unitary U : L2 (R) F intertwining the Schrodinger and Bargmann-Fock representations, i..e.
WF (a)U = U W (a) and U H0 = E0 . Then
2

U f (z) = hU f, Ez i = hf, U Ez i = e|z| hf, U WF (z)E0 i = e|z| hW (z)f, H0 i.

Then,
1
U f (z) =
2

Z
e
R

(x2 +y 2 ) 2ixy

f (t + x)e

t2 /2

1
dt =
2

Z
B(z, t)f (t)dt.
R

Here,
B(z, t) = exp[z 2 t2 /2 + zt].
Also: Takhtajan: pages 112-113 discusses Fock space. Pages 118-139 cover Weyl relations.

HEISENBERG GROUP

4.1. Quantum field theory. In 12 Weyl defines operators q(x), p(x0 ) and has the commutation rule
[q(x), p(x0 )] = i(x x0 ).
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H2

[H2]

P
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W
Wi

[W]
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Wint

[Wint]

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