On polynomials in spectral projections of spin operators

Abstract

We show that the operator norm of an arbitrary bivariate polynomial, evaluated on certain spectral projections of spin operators, converges to the maximal value in the semiclassical limit. We contrast this limiting behavior with that of the polynomial when evaluated on random pairs of projections. The discrepancy is a consequence of a type of Slepian spectral concentration phenomenon, which we prove in some cases.