The Courant-Snyder theory for two-dimensional coupled linear optics is presented, based on the systematic use of the real representation of the Dirac matrices. Since any real $4\times 4$ matrix can be expressed as a linear combination of these matrices, the presented ansatz allows for a comprehensive and complete treatment of two-dimensional linear coupling. A survey of symplectic transformations in two dimensions is presented. A subset of these transformations is shown to be identical to rotations and Lorentz boosts in Minkowski space-time. The transformation properties of the classical state vector are formulated and found to be analog to those of a Dirac spinor. The equations of motion for a relativistic charged particle—the Lorentz force equations—are shown to be isomorph to envelope equations of two-dimensional linear coupled optics. A universal and straightforward method to decouple two-dimensional harmonic oscillators with constant coefficients by symplectic transformations is presented, which is based on this isomorphism. The method yields the eigenvalues (i.e., tunes) and eigenvectors and can be applied to a one-turn transfer matrix or directly to the coefficient matrix of the linear differential equation.

• Received 12 September 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevSTAB.14.114002

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Published by the American Physical Society