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Title: Non-traditional Aharonov-Bohm effects in condensed matter

Journal Article · · Modern Physics Letters B; (Singapore)
 [1];  [2]
  1. Physical-Technical Dept., Kharkov State Univ., 4 Dzerzhinsky Square, 310077 Kharkov (UA)
  2. Inst. for Low Temperature and Engineering, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, 47 Lenin Avenue, 310164 Kharkov (UA)

In 1959, Aharonov and Bohm proposed an elegant experiment demonstrating observability of electromagnetic potentials (or, which is the same, the non-locality of the wave function of charged particles) in quantum mechanics. This paper discusses the Aharonov-Bohm effect, based on the fundamental principles of quantum theory, as the superposition principles, the quantum character of motion of particles and locality of the interaction of a charge with an electromagnetic potential L{sub int} = j{sub {mu}}A{sup {mu}}. It is thus no wonder that the Aharonov-Bohm's paper aroused much dispute which is still ongoing. Originally, the Aharonov-Bohm effect (ABE) means the dependence of the interference pattern on the magnetic fluid flux {phi} in a Gendaken experiment on a coherent electron beam in the field of an infinitely thin solenoid. Later, however, it became common to refer to the Aharonov-Bohm phenomenon wherever the characteristics of systems under study appear to depend on the flux {phi} in the absence of electric and magnetic fields. In this sense, it was highly interesting to analyze the ABE in condensed media (the many-particle Aharonov-Bohm effect), in particular to study the dependence of the thermodynamic and kinetic characteristics, e.g., of metal on the flux. Such a problem was first discussed by Byers and Yang who formulated the general theorems related to the ABE in conducting condensed media. The next important step was the work of Kulik who formulated a concrete model and calculated the flux-dependent contribution to the metal free energy and provided a first clear formulation of the requirements to reveal.

OSTI ID:
7049476
Journal Information:
Modern Physics Letters B; (Singapore), Vol. 6:9; ISSN 0217-9849
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English