Topology of quadrupolar Berry phase of a Qutrit

Abstract

We examine Berry phase pertaining to purely quadrupolar state ($\langle \psi | \vec{S} | \psi \rangle = 0$) of a spin-$1$ system. Using the Majorana stellar representation of these states, we provide a visualization for the topological (zero or $\pi$) nature of such quadrupolar Berry phase. We demonstrates that the $\pi$ Berry phase of quadrupolar state is induced by the Majorana stars collectively tracing out a closed path (a great circle) by exchanging their respective positions on the Bloch sphere. We also analyse the problem from the perspective of dynamics where a state from the quadrupolar subspace is subjected to a static magnetic field. We show that time evolution generated by such Hamiltonian restricts the states to the quadrupolar subspace itself thereby producing a geometric phase (of the Aharonov-Anandan type) quantized to zero or $\pi$. A global unitary transformation which maps the quadrupolar subspace to the subspace of purely real states proves a natural way of understanding the topological character of this subspace and its connection to the anti-unitary symmetries.