Introducing groups into quantum theory (1926--1930) (Q860380)

The paper is devoted to the introduction of group theoretic methods into quantum mechanics in the second half of the 1920s. The author presents the works and ideas of several prominent mathematicians and physicists such as P. A. M. Dirac, W. Heisenberg, E. Wigner, J. von Neumann, W. Heitler, F. London, H. Weyl, M. Born, P. Jordan B. L. van der Waerden, H. Casimir, J. Slater. Throughout the paper there are also presented the debates of the 1920s on the use of group theory in physics and the various attempts to use group theoretical methods for understanding quantum mechanics. The paper gives the historical context of many problems of group theory and their applications to quantum physics, with presentations that extends to contemporary research. It also includes annotated comments and a rich bibliography.