Abstract
The quantum harmonic oscillator is described in terms of two basic sets of coordinates: linear coordinates x, px and angular coordinates eiφ, Pφ (action-angle variables). The angular “coordinate” eiφ is assumed unitary, the conjugate momentum pφ is assumed Hermitian, and eiφ and pφ are assumed to be a canonical pair. Two transformations are defined connecting the angular coordinates to the linear coordinates. It is found that x, px can be physical, i.e., Hermitian and canonical, only under constraints on the pφ eigenvalue spectrum. The conclusion is that eiφ can be a unitary operator. A parallel analysis of the classical harmonic oscillator is done with equivalent results