Let HH be a complex and let x1,,xnHx_1,\dots,x_n\in H. Their symmetric tensor is the symmetrization

(x1xn)s=1n!πSnxπ(1)xπ(n).(x_1\otimes\cdots\otimes x_n)_s=\frac1{n!}\sum_{\pi\in S_n} x_{\pi(1)}\otimes\cdots\otimes x_{\pi(n)}.

It belongs to the subspace of HnH^{\otimes n} fixed by permutations of the tensor factors.

Remarks

Symmetric tensors span the nn-particle symmetric tensor power; these powers form the used for .

Examples
  • For n=2n=2, (xy)s=12(xy+yx)(x\otimes y)_s=\tfrac12(x\otimes y+y\otimes x).