3.

HERMITIAN MATRICES

Let A = (aij); be an nxn matrix. We define the Hermitian conjugate of A, ) where aij = a ji . denoted by A* as ; A = (aij A* is the conjugate of the transpose of A.

Example 1:

1 i A= i i 1 i i i

Transpose of A =

i 1 A* = i i
Example 2:

1 i A= i 2 1 i Transpose of A = i 2

1 i A* = i 2
Observe that in Example 1. A* A, whereas in Example 2, A* = A. DEFINITION: An nxn matrix A is said to be HERMITIAN if A* = A. We now state some properties of Hermitian matrices. (1) If A = (aij) , A* = (a*ij), and A = A* , then aii = a*ii = aii Thus the DIAGONAL ENTRIES OF A HERMITIAN MATRIX ARE REAL.

x1 y1 x2 y (2) Let x = ; y = 2 be any two vectors in Cn and A a Hermitian matrix. M M x y n n

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Let

( Ax )1 ( Ax )2 Ax = M ( Ax ) n

( Ay )1 ( ) Ay 2 ; Ay = M ( Ay ) n
n

We have

( Ax )i
Now

a
j =1

ij

x j ; ( Ay

)j

a
i =1

ji

yi.

( Ax , y ) = ( Ax )i y i
i =1

i =1
n

j =1

a ij x j y

j =1

n x j a ij y i i =1

j =1

n x j a ij y i i=1 n x j a i =1
x
j

=
=

j =1

ji

yi

(Qaij = a ji since A = A* )

j =1

(Ay )

= (x, Ay) Thus IF A IS HERMITIAN THEN (Ax, y) = (x, Ay) FOR ANY TWO VECTORS x, y.

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(3) Let be any eigenvalue of a Hermitian matrix A. Then there is an x Cn, x n such that Ax = x. Now, since A is Hermitian we have,

( x , x ) = ( x , x ) = ( Ax , x )
= ( x , Ax ) = (x , x )

= (x , x )

)(x , x ) =

0 . But

(x , x )
is real.

0Q x

= 0 =

THUS THE EIGENVALUES OF A HERMITIAN MATRIX ARE ALL REAL. (4) Let , be two different eigenvalues of a Hermitian matrix A and x, y their corresponding eigenvectors. We have, and Ax = x and , are real by (3). Now, Ay = y

(x , y ) = ( x , y )

= (Ax , y ) = (x , y )

= (x , Ay ) by ( 2 ) = (x , y )
Hence we get

= (x , y ) since is real .

But So we get (x,y) = 0 x and y are orthogonal.

THUS IF A IS A HERMITIAL MATRIX THEN THE EIGENVECTORS CORRESPONDING TO ITS DISTINCT EIGENVALUES ARE ORTHOGONAL.

)(x , y ) = 0 .

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