# convert an ITensor to fewer quantum number

+1 vote

Hi. I wonder if it is possible to convert an ITensor with 2 quantum numbers, say total Sz and particle number, to which with only 1 quantum number, say total Sz. It would be equally good if I can contract two tensors with different number of quantum numbers. Thank you.

BTW I am using ITensor3 C++ interface.

commented by (130 points)
Not a full answer, but assuming that the code doesn't take too long to run, what about building your more symmetric state in the larger, less symmetric space? More specifically, I'm imagining using the state.set to control the initial trial MPS to specify that the state is in a given symmetry sector (i.e. fixed number). The page http://www.itensor.org/support/2101/how-to-construct-singlet-state-under-qn-conservation?show=2106#c2106 Discusses this with the conservation of Sz=0 for a state. Hopefully that will give you some ideas if this direction will work for you. I'm pretty new to this (obviously from the question I asked a week ago =D )

- Jared
commented by (400 points)
Thank you Jared. Apparently I just learned how to reply a comment, so forgive me for the late thank you.  I agree that a solution is to use a less symmetric tensor in the first place as Miles also suggested, and in ITensor it is pretty convenient to do it (which is what I am doing). My question was whether ITensor supports automatically converting a symmetric tensor to a less symmetric tensor (by putting zeros) but I think the answer is No and one needs to write such a function by itself.

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