Spin in a General Time Varying Magnetic Field: Generalization of the Adiabatic Factorization of Time Evolution

Abstract

An extension of the adiabatic factorization of the time evolution operator is studied for spin in a general time varying magnetic field $B(t)$. When $B(t)$ changes adiabatically, such a factorization reduces to the product of the geometric operator which embodies the Berry phase phenomenon and a usual dynamical operator. For a general time variation of $B(t)$, there should be another operator $N(t)$ in the factorization that is related to non-adiabatic transitions. A simple and explicit expression for the instantaneous angular velocity of this operator is derived. This is done in a way that is independent of any specific representation of spin. Two classes of simple conditions are given under which the operator $N(t)$ can be made explicit. As a special case, a generalization of the traditional magnetic resonance condition is pointed out.