An exploration of operator methods in the E circle times e Jahn-Teller problem

A new treatment of the E x e Jahn-Teller problem, which uses operator metho ds, is presented. An analytical expression for the energy spectrum in the w eak coupling limit is found by analogy with Russell-Saunders coupling. The matrix elements for general linear and quadratic coupling follow from simpl e coupling Hamiltonians given in this Letter. The formalism presented is co nceptually simple and easily extended to other systems. (C) 2000 Elsevier S cience B.V. All rights reserved.