Aharonov-Bohm Effect
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The Aharonov–Bohm effect is a quantum-mechanical phenomenon in which an electrically charged particle is influenced by the vector potential in regions in which the magnetic field is zero. A beam of monoenergetic electrons passes through a double slit on opposite sides of a solenoid. The expected interference pattern of the waves going through the two slits is shifted by an additional phase difference when the solenoid encloses a magnetic field, despite the magnetic field being zero in the regions through which the electrons pass. This can be observed experimentally by the horizontal displacement of the interference fringes.
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Contributed by: S. M. Blinder (March 2011)
Open content licensed under CC BY-NC-SA
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Reference: Y. Aharonov and D. Bohm, "Significance of Electromagnetic Potentials in the Quantum Theory," Physical Review Series II, 115, 1959 pp. 485–491.
Permanent Citation
"Aharonov-Bohm Effect"
http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/AharonovBohmEffect/
Wolfram Demonstrations Project
Published: March 7 2011